High Tide lived what might be considered an average life for a pony who had a home by the sea. If there was anything extraordinary about him, it would have been his job. His cutie mark, an ocean wave, did not suggest that the thirty-year-old sifted through the rocks and sand at, ironically, low tide near a cropping of rocks to uncover little treasures of all kinds. From the little things like debris of a shipwreck or junk that had fallen in the briny deep to the occasional pearl in an oyster, High Tide would find the precious loot and use it to make his living. To any who heard that this was how he survived it seemed ridiculous.

In one sense they were right. High Tide certainly didn’t live a life of extravagant ventures. His home was modest at best, and dinky at worst. The first floor of his house was comprised of four tiny rooms; the second floor was all one room, probably an attic at one point. The building itself was clearly older than the sea shanty town it stood by. High Tide didn’t mind that at all, though. The life he led was simple, and he couldn’t ask for more. And, truth be told, tourists spent a lot more on seashells than one might originally think. Whatever little goodies he didn’t keep for himself made him enough bits that he could afford to eat out every day and play cards on Saturday nights with his friends. High Tide’s poker face was awful, but that wasn’t why he went there, anyway.

This day was different, though. His home beckoned him after his satchel was only half full of shells and a belt buckle. Some days were just like that, with a yearning deep in his gut. Three times out of ten, this yearning would result in something a little unusual. Maybe a friend coming by to ask for his help down by the docks, or somepony looking for something they had lost and his treasure hunting skills proved to be just enough to find it. And while the odds of three against ten might not have been great, those few times were enough for him to follow that yearning when it called.

Today turned out to be one of those days where the feeling was true, though it wasn’t immediately apparent why. Barring being early, he did what he always did when he got back from his work. His case was tossed in the treasure room for him to price before going to bed, and he drew himself up a bath. While High Tide didn’t splurge on much, plumbing and heating seemed like a necessity on the cold and misty mornings by the sea.

When he had finished washing the salt from his hooves, High Tide went to sit on his porch to read whatever book had most recently caught his interest while letting his mane and coat dry out. Today’s book was a bit of a letdown. When he had read the blurb on the back, he had expected a romance novel about a girl whose dad was dating her best friend to be funny; instead, the book was a drama fest of pointless crying and hoof pointing, all looking like it was coming together in a spot the book had been at in chapter five. He didn’t like to leave things unfinished--which made his ‘job’ easy since he got to pick when it ended--so he slugged through main character’s pointless whining. High Tide hoped his life would never be that ridiculously dreary.

As he read about a silly plan to get the character’s dad and friend back together, he saw a pony swimming in the ocean in front of his home. This, too, wasn’t terribly unusual even if it was the beginning of spring, still a little chilly, and this beach wasn’t visited too often. Ponies liked to play, simple as that, and the sea was an endless playground. In fact, High Tide took a passing glance at the dark blue pony and thought nothing more of it.

Then he heard her laugh.

A laugh of pure joy, of excitement and whimsy, like the laugh of a child. The voice from which the laughter came, however, was clearly not a child’s. High Tide looked up at the mare, and for a moment he wasn’t able to comprehend what he was seeing. Where once there had had been a pony, there instead seemed to be a dolphin tail sticking out of the water.

The tail waved in his direction, as though saying hello to him. High Tide dumbly waved back. However, the tail dipped under as the head of a mare shot out. Puzzling was the fact that her yellow head was a startlingly dramatic color from the rest of her. His jaw dropped as the mare jumped out of the water. Not very high, but high enough he could see a pony that looked to be part dolphin, mostly blue with a white underbelly. Were it not for the bit of her naturally yellow thighs High Tide could see, he would have assumed he was being visited by a mermare. 

The pony dived back into the water just to come up laughing again. By no means was the sound melodious to High Tide, but it it struck a chord in a place he had never been touched before. She was strange and enticing to him, even if he had only seen the whole of her for a moment.

Unknown things, though, tended to make a pony’s heart quiver. If not in fear then at at least in anxiety. High Tide found himself too spooked to get up and see what exactly this pony was. Instead he simply watched her as she swam about, breaching and jumping as naturally as a creature the naturally lived in the ocean. Each time she was fully out of the water, which only lasted a second, he took a better look at her. A few more glances revealed she looked more like an orca than a dolphin. She had some sort of clips in her mane that looked like the false eyes of one, anyway. Perhaps the sea was playing tricks on him, in more ways than one.

By the time the odd pony had walked onto the sandy shore, the sky was orange from the setting sun. She dripped with salty sea water, but the glossy material of her orca-skin let it slide right off. She began to walk away, but stopped mid-step to wave at High Tide, then went back on her merry way. No possessions seemed to have come with her, for she left with none as well. She didn’t even wait to take off the suit, assuming it was one.

All-in-all, it was a lot more interesting than the book.

The next day was a lot like the day before, in that High Tide woke up, went to work, dug for sea shells and loot, came home early and did his usual routine of washing up and sitting on his porch, and the orca-mare was playing in the ocean again.

Somewhere in his heart, High Tide was glad to see her again. She was bizarre, new, interesting, mysterious. Like the rare pearl he sometimes found, this mare was enticing. Unlike a pearl, High Tide considered her pretty.

High Tide also considered her a little scary. It wasn’t so much that the why of things was completely lost on him. She clearly liked the ocean, and the suit was a part of that. It just seemed so out there. One of those things he and his buddies would joke about at the card table if they were rich and could do whatever they wanted. High Tide joked he’d make a life sized ship in a bottle or dress up in some silly outfit and go gallivanting about without a care. Fantastic things that seemed impossible. And here this pony was, doing something exactly like that. Was such a pony brave or stupid? Or maybe she just didn’t care.

For a few days more this tradition continued. High Tide going to hunt, coming home early to watch the pony play, and that was it. Once in a while they waved at each other, but that was all the communication they had. He wondered if he should be the one to make the first move or to wait for her. She was content, it seemed, with how her days were going. Did she mind a total stranger watching her as she swam? Sometimes it seemed like she was putting on a show, just for High Tide. He found himself thinking much deeper about how to approach her than he had any other pony. He also found he had made up his mind that he would get to know this mermare-like pony.

After five days of this routine, High Tide finally worked up the nerve to break it. Instead of bathing the sea from his body, he walked out to the beach in front his home where the mysterious mare was swimming without care. While simple, he had thought his first move was a good one. Sit on the sand and wait for her. It would let her know he was interested, willing to meet her halfway.

It took about an hour of watching her swim for his simple plan to come to fruition, but it paid off. With the one of the swells, the orca-pony was swept right up to him, laughing like a filly.

“Hi there!” she said, sticking her glossy leg out.

For a moment High Tide was too baffled to respond. Something to actually say to her wasn’t something he had planned. Not to mention how excited and without hesitation her voice was caught him off guard. For a few seconds he stuttered, uhs and ahs being the only thing he could manage to get out.

The orca-pony giggled, and just like her laughter it tickled at something deep inside of High Tide. “Don’t you know how to talk, mister?”

Such a simple question was enough to get the gears in his head moving again. “Uh, y-yes, I do know how to talk.”

“That’s good,” the orca-pony replied, still smiling. “If you didn’t, it would be really hard to talk to you. Actually, I guess I could talk to you, but you couldn’t talk to me. Then you wouldn’t know what I was saying.”

High Tide found himself snickering before he knew what he was thinking. “That is true. It would be a pretty one-sided conversation, huh? Thankfully I can talk, and pretty good too. I do a lot of reading.”

“Neat,” she said, flipping onto her back so  her white underbelly reflected the sun. “I like to read, too. What kind of books do you like?”

“Anything that catches my eye,” High Tide responded, eyes roaming her body without him meaning to. How could he resist taking the strange creature in, now that he was up close? He couldn’t. “I’m partial to the sci-fi genre myself, but if it looks good, I’ll try it.”

The strange mare sighed and let her legs flop onto the sand, closing her eyes as she basked in the warmth the sun provided. “My favorite book is The Oyster and The Clam. Isn’t it such a great story?”

“But isn’t that...” High Tide began, but his voice caught in his throat as he noticed the finer details of the mare. The leathery orca skin turned out to be something else, more like rubber. Although skin-tight and fairly thick, it was not a part of her body as he first imagined. It was a suit. A really well made suit, and the thick tail still wagged and swayed as though it were real, but it was clearly a suit. What really caught his attention and made the words ‘for foals’ fizzle in his throat was the fact that the spot around her haunches was especially thick.

The outfit already gave her a wider berth than a normal pony, but between her legs was an extra amount of poof that looked a lot like a diaper. High Tide might have dismissed such a thought, but a telltale frill sticking out of the leggings said it all.

“Isn’t that what?” the mare said, opening an eye.

High Tide shook his head and, before he could stop himself, wound up saying, “A foal’s book?” This clever remark was followed by filling his mouth with hoof.

The mare was not offended in any way, if her laughter was anything to go by. Instead of berating him, she placed a rubbery hoof on his elbow and pulled his hoof out. “I guess it is, huh?” she said.

Again, High Tide was left stumbling over his words.

“You’re funny,” the pony said. “I like laughing a lot. It’s my second favorite thing ever.”

“Glad I could appease,” High Tide replied, happy to get away from anything that might have insulted her. “So, uh, what’s your first favorite thing?”

The orca-dressed pony wagged her tail and pointed her hoof at the water. “Swimming! I love swimming in the ocean. I like to pretend I’m an orca.”

High Tide snickered, now glancing up at her shiny mane that somehow looked as leathery as a real orca’s skin. “Really? I never would have guessed.”

“You wouldn’t?” The mare jumped onto her hooves, the frown she now wore boring into his chest. “Aww, I thought my outfit was really good...”

“I-It is!” he corrected as fast as he could. “I was just making a joke. You really do look like a real sea-pony, or something. The first time I saw you I thought you were some kind of mermare.”

This seemed to have been the right thing to say going by how her eyes sparkled with childish glee. “Really? That’s great!” She danced on her hooves as she spoke. “I would like to be part fish, but I’d rather be part orca because they’re mammals and breath air, like me, so I wouldn’t have to change my life all that much. But wouldn’t breathing under water be neat too?” A look of thought crossed over her as she kept talking. “Hmm, you know, I would have to change one thing about how I go swimming, because I love my cuddly suit and my pampers, so maybe I love my costume more and just don’t know it because I’m not part orca.”

High Tide had to speed up his brain in order to keep up with her as she spoke, though not by much. It was a good thing he was going a little faster, because his thoughts became somewhat clogged at the word ‘pampers’. His earlier conclusion that she was wearing a diaper was confirmed, more or less, and he struggled to come up with a response while distracted by such a radically different thing to associate with a mare. “So, uh, yeah... You are a very pretty orca.”

Again he had opened his mouth without thinking, but she was once more pleased with his words. High Tide considered how most mares might blush or become withdrawn at being called pretty, but this mare was instead excited. Giggling that brought a lightness to High Tide filled his ears as she bounced in place.

“Thank you!” she exclaimed. The notion of personal space was lost to her as their cheeks pressed together in a nuzzle. Her coat was cold and wet with salty water but he was too stunned to reel back. This intimacy was not what he had expected, even if he’d have been hard pressed to say what he had expected when talking to a mare that looked part fish at first glance.

“Y-You’re welcome?” High Tide half asked, his mind spinning like the inside of a wave.

The mare pulled back and grinned wider than he had seen yet. “Getting compliments always makes me feel nice. Oh, I know! I should give you one! I think you have a very handsome face and you smell like the ocean.”

High Tide’s reaction was a lot more typical, the red forming on his cheeks contrasting with his sea-green coat. “Thanks, I think. Not too often I’m called handsome.”

The mare hummed in thought. “Well, I’m not called pretty very much. How about every time we see each other I’ll call you handsome and you can call me pretty, then we’ll both get to hear it sometimes and it will always be nice.”

“Okay,” High Tide found himself saying before he could question the bluntness of such an agreement. Talking with this mare was simplified the logical parts of his mind to levels he hadn’t thought possible. In a sense he figured her request wasn’t unfair or harmful. It just seemed too simple when this mare was anything but to him. “Err, wait...”

“Great! Here, let’s practice. You’re looking very handsome today.”

High Tide blinked and tried to say something he truly wanted to say, anything that he chose. But when he saw her gleeful face he couldn’t bring himself to take any of her joy away. What she wanted to hear became what he wanted to say. “And you’re a very pretty orca right now.”

With a squeal, the mare hopped in a small circle. At last High Tide could see her cutie mark. Though partially obscured by her suit hugging around the diaper and the frills that came with the latter, her cutie mark was, what else, an orca. Could he really have expected anything else?

“So, uh... my name’s High Tide,” he said, giving her a wide berth to jump around in. “What’s yours?”

The mare came to a stop, her fake tail and well-padded bottom aimed in his direction. For a moment she looked about in confusion, disoriented despite the little distance she had moved. She found High Tide quickly and smiled his way again as she turned to face him. “I’m Gabby, nice to meet you, Mister Tide!”

“Gabby?” High Tide asked. “Like Gabby Gums?”

“Nope!” Gabby poked his snout. “Guess again.”

High Tide hummed. “Gabby Girl? Gabby Grub. Err, maybe Gabby Glub.” He stood on his hind legs and made ‘fins’ out of his forelegs. “Like a fish, glub, glub, glub.”

Gabby broke out into yet another fit of giggles, falling onto her side and flailing. “M-Mister High Tide, I’m not a fish!”

“Not Glub then? Okay, I give up.” High Tide shrugged but looked pleased enough to have made her laugh again. “What is it?”

Gabby motioned for him to come closer, which he complied with. High Tide’s ear to her snout, Gabby said, “Just Gabby.”

High Tide raised a brow as he turned to her again. “Just Gabby?”

“Just Gabby,” she said again with a satisfied nod. “I don’t get why ponies are always so confused by that. Should there be something after Gabby, Mister Tide?”

“Well, I guess there doesn’t need to be.” High Tide walked around her, stealing another looked at all of Gabby. No matter how much he saw or listened to her, she just didn’t seem real. Pretty and pleasing to his eye in all her orca-ness and oh so huggable with her pudgy form, but not real. It was as the cold swell of a wave hit his hooves that he realized he wanted to hug her. At the very least he wanted to touch her and make sure she was there, even if she had pressed her cheek into his to prove it already. The notion that he wanted to hold her when he barely knew her boggled his mind. “I might have to call you Gabby Glub, though. I think it’s a good name for you.”

Gabby huffed, though much to High Tide’s relief it was a playful pout. “But that’s not my name! It’s just Gabby! Ga-bby.”

High Tide snorted as he tried not to laugh. It almost sounded like she had said ‘baby’. “R-Right, of course. Phew, water’s a little chilly today. Can hardly tell it’s spring.”

If Gabby noticed how sudden the topic change was she didn’t show it. She nodded and rolled onto her stomach and wormed along the sand until she was in the path of the next wave. “I can’t tell. The water is always perfect to me. But I love the ocean no matter what, so what am I talking about?”

High Tide had been about to point out how her suit would have provided insulation against the cold. About to, but the current beat him to Gabby and she was swept away on the tiniest bit of wave and out to sea.

Diving into the water and leaping back up, Gabby waved at him and called, “Come on in and let’s find out!” before plunging in again. Gabby stuck her head out and waved.

“I, uh, would love to,” High Tide said, which wasn’t a lie at all. It was the fact that he really would love to go swimming with her that held him back. These feelings were confusing and strange, nothing he was prepared for when he walked up to the waves. “It’s just that I have to go sort through my loot for the past few days, see what I can sell.” This, too, wasn’t a lie. He had spent so much time watching and thinking about Gabby that sorting through sea shells and old wood slipped his mind.

It looked like Gabby said ‘oh’, and in a disappointed fashion if High Tide were to hazard a guess. He couldn’t say for sure, though, because she immediately called in a cheery tone, “Okay! See you later, Mister Tide!” and dove back under to leap and swim further out.

High Tide watched her rise and fall for a few minutes before deciding he’d look fairly stupid if he didn’t follow up on his excuse. But just like one of his books, he hated leaving mysteries unfinished. Talking to the girl created far more questions than answers, something that was a given. None of the questions were within the realm of daily life, though. Why did he like hearing Gabby laugh? Why did he like to see her smile? To see her play, frolic, and just plain see her? Why was she in a thick rubber suit and a thick diaper along with it? How could she be so unlike any other mare he had ever seen?

Standing by the water answered nothing and instead High Tide turned to trot back to his home and make an attempt at sorting his goods.

Routine had returned to High Tide’s life, even if the routine now revolved around the strange mare in stranger attire, Gabby. Wake up, do whatever needed to be done at home, go digging around in one of several places for little treasures, come home and set his stuff down, go out and meet Gabby to tell her she was pretty that day, be told he was handsome, get a feeling of happiness, talk to her about this or that, watch her play and decline joining her, then go back inside and get to work again. This routine was frustrating for High Tide, as sparing himself the embarrassment of saying he wasn’t ready to swim with Gabby meant seeing less of her, but it was because he was trying to sort out why he wanted to see more of her that he was too afraid to go swimming with her.

He supposed it was stupid to be fretting about this. What was a swim, anyway? Going out into the water was something High Tide enjoyed doing very much. It was just... the notion of Gabby being there made it awkward. And the question of ‘why’ plagued him each time he thought about it.

Most frustrating at all, High Tide didn’t learn anything about her during the times they talked. Actually, no, that wasn’t true. He learned things about her, like what he favorite flavor of ice cream was (banana split, to which he didn’t have the heart to tell her it wasn’t a real flavor) or what her favorite color was (blue, just like his). But he didn’t learn how she ticked or get answers for any of his bigger questions. How could he bring himself to just blurt out ‘why do you wear diapers?’ From what he did know about her, though, she probably would just giggle and explain without any mocking or reservation. 

High Tide was startled to come to that conclusion, because it meant he was getting complacent with her giddy nature. It seemed to have happened so fast, yet when he counted the days it turned out they had been talking for almost a month.

One day, when he could not take being away from her anymore, High Tide strolled up to her with renewed confidence in his stride. I’m going to swim with her, he thought to himself as he stepped onto the sand which was becoming warmer with the weather. As had become the norm, Gabby saw him and swam as fast as she could manage to catch a swell that seemed to form just because she came closer. The current carried her to his hooves as though she were a gift.

“Hi there, Mister Tide!” Gabby said, looking up at him.

“Hi yourself,” High Tide said back. “You’re a very pretty orca today.”

Gabby squealed as always and said, “And you have a very handsome face!”

A feeling of being light coursed over High Tide whenever she said that. “How are you today? Catch any fish?”

“Yep! And I let him go, because I’m not a real orca,” Gabby answered while rolling onto her back.

“You’re real enough to me.” High Tide’s nerve faltered as he lifted his hoof up. With a gulp, he brought his hoof to her nose and poked her. “A cute little mermare that I get to keep all to myself.”

Trepidation filled High Tide’s thoughts, the time waiting for her reaction feeling like hours. To his joy and a great deal of relief, as well as surprise, Gabby grabbed his hoof with her own rubber-coated hooves and nuzzled every part of her face into it. The action was very reminiscent of a foal, although High Tide wondered if her diaper just made him see everything she did as foalish.

“I’ll be your mermare any day,” Gabby said. She then placed his hoof into the sand and began to bury it, giggling all the while.

High Tide rolled his eyes as Gabby tried to bury his leg, every bit as amused as she looked. “Gabby, what are you doing?”

“Playing.” Gabby piled the sand higher and higher, reaching halfway up his shin. “Hmm, you know, I don’t see you do a whole lot of playing, Mister Tide. Is all you do work?”

After weeks of asking questions about Gabby, this question took him back a ways. High Tide was sure she didn’t mean it to do so, but the question dug into his being. The last time he had played. Such a childhood word sounded foreign to him. When did that happen? When had ‘playing’ been something he didn’t do? Sure, he played cards, but that wasn’t the same. His self-made job wasn’t ‘playing’, even if he liked it.

“Yeah, I... work a lot,” High Tide mumbled.

Gabby hummed as she frowned, still making a hill of sand around his leg. “Most ponies don’t like playing anymore. They always have to work. You don’t work as much as other ponies, though, so what do you do when you’re not working? Don’t tell me you spend all your time reading.”

High Tide’s thoughts wandered back to the book he had sitting on a night stand. It probably had a layer of dust on it by now. “No, I don’t. I’ve been spending a lot of time just watching you.”

Gabby smiled and stood up, rubbing their cheeks together. “Really? That’s sooooo nice of you. I wish I had somepony who’d look after me all the time, because I like it better when I can be with somepony.”

She’d misunderstood what he meant, but High Tide didn’t mind. It meant she was happier and that was never a bad thing. Reaching beyond his comfort zone further, High Tide pulled his leg out of the sandy hill and wrapped it around her rubbery neck to pull her closer. “Anytime you want and I’m home, I’ll keep an eye on you and make sure you’re safe. Would you like that?”

“I’d like that a whole lot!” Gabby cried while bouncing in his hug. “You’re such a nice pony, Mister Tide. Oh...” Gabby tilted her head. “Does that mean you can’t swim with me if you’re watching me?”

High Tide broke out in a boisterous laugh, one of the most sincere he’d ever had. Whether it was at himself, her adorably confused face, the situation, or some combination of all three would never be explored, because he replied, “Are you kidding? The best place to watch you is right next to you! Come on, I’ll race you.”

Gabby squealed and pulled High Tide into the surf, dunking them both under the water and pulling him along as she dove and leapt in the water. Shock made it so High Tide tasted the ocean a few times before he got into the rhythm. Even though the concept of racing was completely forgotten, it was the most fun he’d had in a long, long time.

The notion of routine became somewhat forgotten for High Tide in one sense. He did still go sifting through rocks and sand for treasures worth keeping or selling, but now when he got home he didn’t know what he was going to do. Oh, sure, he knew he would be playing with Gabby, but that was it. Whether in the sand, whether in the water, if they would play Marco Polo or try to make shapes out of clouds was up in the air. It would just depend on what Gabby was feeling or what High Tide suggested when he felt brave enough to say something.

High Tide found keeping up with Gabby was hard, at least in the water. For all the love of the sea he proclaimed, he could not hope to match Gabby’s skill in swimming. No doubt her suit had something to do with it. The water would just slide off of her orca-skin and let her shoot through like a rocket.

And yet, for all the comfort they now felt around each other, High Tide still couldn’t muster up the nerve to ask why she wore diapers. In a way, he was getting used to it. He couldn’t imagine her any different, suit, diaper, and fake-eye-mane-clips. Perhaps he would eventually let it go and just enjoy her company when he could.

There was one part of his routine he didn’t let go, and that was the weekly card game with his chums. High Tide had known them for a long time, ever since he’d first moved to the town several years ago. Recently High Tide had been asking himself more questions that nopony could answer. The most recent would be whether or not he would consider these ponies friends. They met, they talked, but were they truly friends?

“High Tide, it’s your turn,” somepony said. “Are you in or out? My marefriend needs a new pair of shoes and your contribution would be most appreciated.”

“Huh? What?” High Tide started, shaking his head. “Uh, got any threes?”

Three ponies consecutively slapped themselves in the face.

“Brah,” one of them said, which High Tide knew as Beach Bum. “We’re playing texas hold’em. Need a refresher on the rules?”

High Tide coughed into his hoof and tossed a few coins into the pile. “Right, right, I call.”

The eldest one, Barnacle, who was the eldest by a long shot, sighed. “Ya do know the bet was twenty bits, don’tcha?”

“Oh...” High Tide snickered and rubbed the back of his head, tossing more coins in. “Sorry, guys, been kind of distracted.”

“I’ll say,” the hefty one, Crankshaft, said as he examined his cards and the three on the table. “You didn’t even notice when the Bum stole your root beer.”

When High Tide examined his glass it was as though there had never been a drink in there at all. “Real mature, ‘brah’.”

Beach Bum smirked and tossed his bits in. “Not mah fault your case is in space, dude. You gonna eat the chips?”

Crankshaft belched. “Uh, too late.”

“Thanks guys, how could anypony ask for better friends?” High tide rolled his eyes. A smile adorned his lips as Barnacle magically lifted the large bottle of pop and poured him another glass.

“Come off it, ya coconuts.” Barnacle breathed in from his pipe and blew out a thick fog of smoke in Beach Bum’s direction. “Give the boy some slack, he’s clearly lost his mind at sea.”

“Okay, sorry, brah.” Beach Bum elbowed High Tide. “Ya know we’re just playing with ya.”

The word ‘playing’ danced in High Tide’s head. “Seems more like you’re messing with me.”

Barnacle took another heavy swig of his pipe as some of his coins flew into the pot. “Come on, then, place ye bets, iffen’ ya dare.”

“I fold,” Crankshaft said, shaving his cards forward. “No way can I deal with that setup.”

Beach Bum scoffed. “There’s two two’s and a four. You couldn’t build a popsicle stick out of that.”

“You can build three of a kind, that’s enough for me.”

High Tide tapped his chin before he shoves his cards away. “I think I’m done, guys. I just can’t keep my head in the game anymore.”

“Awwwww,” Crankshaft moaned. “You aren’t leaving, are you? This is the only time we get to see you!”

“Believe me, I know...” High Tide mumbled. “Like Barnacle said, my thoughts are somewhere else tonight.”

“Ye ain’t going yet, though.” Barnacle sipped at his drink while dealing the next card. “Ya come for good times and friends and that’s exactly what you’re going to get.”

“Yeah, if you can’t play, at least stay. Whoa, dude, I’m a poet.” Beach Bum chuckled as he tossed some coins on the table.

High Tide smiled, glad to know his company was enjoyed for more than his bits. That, at least, answered one question. “Thanks guys, really.”

“So,” Crankshaft began, stuffing his face full of chips. “What’s eating you, anyway? You’ve been awfully quiet all night.”

“Dude, look at his eyes,” Beach Bum said, motioning towards High Tide’s face.  “You looked exactly like that when you found your mare. High Tide’s got a marefriend!”

“I would prefer you not making wild assumption about who I’m dating.” High Tide smirked. “You know I’m off the market for that sort of thing.”

“Denial, the first part of any relationship.” The bulky pony put his hoof on High Tide’s shoulder in a remorseful manner. “First they noodle their way into your life and you have no idea what you’re doing. Next thing you know they’re redecorating your bathroom with fuzzy covers and throwing away your old comic books.”

“What’s wrong with fuzzy seats?” Barnacle asked.

“Guys, I’m not in love with her,” High Tide insisted. This was one of the few things he had decided for sure about Gabby. Whatever he was feeling wasn’t romantic. Gabby was a special mare, that much was certain, but he couldn’t imagine taking her that way. Something about the notion seemed dirty.

“Aha!” Crankshaft cried. “So there is a mare!”

“Well, I... sort of.”

Barnacle hummed as he pulled up the five cards for the current pot. “There’s very few cases this seadog can think of where something is only ‘sort of’ there.”

High Tide sighed. “Guess that cat’s out of the bag. Yeah, I met this mare and I’ve been seeing her every day for the last month and a half now.”

“Our little brah is growing up,” Beach Bum sniffled, pulling High Tide into a hug.

“I’m old enough to be your dad,” High Tide grumbled.

“Well, spill! What’s she like, how did you meet her and when do we get to see her?” Crankshaft leaned on his hoof and gave a sly grin.

“With any luck she’ll never meet ponies like you. Bad influences all around.” High Tide pushed Beach Bum away and sighed. “She’s something, I’ll give you that. I have no clue how to describe her at all because she isn’t like any mare I’ve met before.”

Barnacle smiled and chuckled. “Can’t hurt to try, aye? What’s her name?”

“Gabby,” High Tide replied. “Just Gabby.”

“Just Gabby?” Beach Bum scratched his head. “Short name.”

High Tide’s disposition brightened. “Barnacle, you’re the dock master, maybe you checked her into town. She’s got a yellow coat, orca cutie mark and blue mane and tail.” It was guessing on the tail part, since he’d never seen her without her suit.

“Can’t say I’ve seen anypony like that come in by boat.” Barnacle puffed at his pipe. “Let alone seen anypony pass me by like that.”

Crankshaft scratched his chin. “Yellow coat, orca mark, yellow coat, orca mark...”

“Whoa, dude, are you talking about who I think you’re talking about?”

All the ponies at the table turned to Beach Bum.

Beach Bum nodded. “Yeah, man, I’ve seen a mare like that, except I thought she was a mermare!”

“Ya Bum, every month you’re raving about giant crabs and mermares,” Barnacle groaned while shaking his head. “Stop smoking your herbs and go with good old tobacco.”

“I’m serious! I saw her walking around the edge of town, taking the long path. You wouldn’t believe it unless you saw it, but she walked into a bush a normal mare and walked back out with a new skin! She’s, like, those seal things Lucky Clover was telling us about.”

Crankshaft, of all ponies, shot Beach Bum an unamused look. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, you’re just a jerk. After you had me help you hunt ‘the coral creature’ I’m not so interested in your stories.”

“But this was real, I swear!” Bum reinforced.

“Naw, yer completely right, youngster.”

Beach Bum brightened as he turned to Barnacle. “I am?”

“Aye, I don’t believe it because I didn’t see it.” Barnacle grinned and swept the cards up while pushing the pile of coins in Crankshaft’s direction.

“You guys stink like old milk,” Beach Bum huffed.

High Tide had gone quiet during the conversation, processing this new information. Gabby didn’t always wear her suit and, apparently, her diapers all the time. Beach Bum might have been in another space and time half the time, but he would have noticed something like that. Knowing she wasn’t always in the orca costume made him wonder if there was another side to Gabby, one without the rubbery skin.

“Hey, Bum,” High Tide began. “Did you see where she came from?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?” Crankshaft started. “Don’t believe him, he’s gonna take you on a stakeout and hog all the barbeque chips to himself!”

High Tide rolled his eyes with a chuckle. “Don’t worry, old Beachy isn’t getting me to go on another wild chimera chase. But... he did sort of see what he thought he saw.”

“Aha!” Beach Bum cheered. “Score one for the surfer dude!”

“But it’s not a second skin. It’s just a really elaborate bathing suit.”

Barnacle and Crankshaft chuckled as Beach Bum blushed and rubbed the back of his head. “Just telling you what I saw, brah...”

“Which apparently wasn’t much.” High Tide looked down at the table. “She’s really sweet and kind and when I’m with her the world seems so bright. Gabby’s amazing, but she’s simple. I can’t put into words how she makes me feel because I’ve never felt this way about anypony before. And before any of you yahoos suggest it, no, I know I’m not in love. This is different.”

Barnacle hummed and hawed on his pipe. “Describe the girl, Tide, what’s she like?”

The words ‘foalish’ and ‘playful’ sprung to mind, though High Tide thought using such descriptors would paint the wrong picture for his friends, even if it was accurate. “She’s a lot like a kid, I guess. Swimming is what she loves to do more than anything in the world. Sometimes we play in the sand, sometimes we play in the water. Bubbly is a good word, she likes to laugh a lot, Gabby isn’t crazy, but there’s a certain simplicity to her that’s unreal.”

“You sure you’re not in head over hooves for her?” Crankshaft asked.

“If he says he ain’t, he ain’t,” Barnacle defended. “And how does she make you feel?”

High Tide shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Just try. What does she make you want to do?”

“Make me...? Huh.” The feelings were surprisingly easy to word, to the point he wondered why he’d never given them as much thought until now. “I want to see her smile and to hear her laugh. I want to keep her happy and safe and warm. Seeing her frown makes me feel like I failed at something and I want to fix it. If she’s happy, then everything in the world is right.”

Beach Bum sniffled and rubbed at his eyes. “Whoa, man, that was beautiful. You sound just like my mom. She was always awesome to me and little brah.”

“Your mom?” High Tide’s eyes widened. “Your mom... oh wow.”

Barnacle smiled, breathing a wall of smoke out his nostrils. “Sounds like you figured it out. Feeling a might fatherly, eh?”

A month’s worth of frustration, churning inside like a tsunami, quelled into a gentle wake as High Tide came to terms with the idea. Being Gabby’s parent sounded nice. Better than nice, it made his heart swell and beat with enough giddy energy that he had to restrain himself or run home right there and then to grab her and proclaim the news. “Father. That’s a nice word. You’re right, Barnacle, I like taking care of her.”

“That’s kinda... weird,” Crankshaft said, grabbing a hooful of chips. “How old is she?”

“Doesn’t matter,” High Tide claimed, his smile getting wider by the minute. “Gabby’s a kid at heart and that’s all that’s important. I don’t know if she wants a daddy, but as long as I can make her happy then I’ll be happy to.”

“Now there’s the High Tide I know.” Beach Bum pulled his friend close in a hug and squeezed hard. “Always knew you’d make a righteous dad.”

“Still kinda weird,” Crankshaft said. “But whatever, so long as you’re happy. Hey, my girlfriend’s been talking about kids, maybe you can give us tips?”

High Tide laughed, pushing Beach Bum away. “I’m not really a dad, guys, cut it out. You know Barnacle would be a lot better at giving advice, anyway.”

“Ah, Tide, you never really stop being a parent when you start.” A wistful sigh left Barnacle’s throat, along with a hot cloud of his smoking. “Yer always learning. Just don’t go overboard with this lass, alright? Not exactly like you can build sand castles and that would amuse her, right?”

High Tide grinned.

Even though High Tide knew what he was going to do, apprehension and fear still stuck to his ribs and resonated with each beat of his heart. It was silly to be scared, for he never would have considered doing this for any other pony except Gabby. Still the fear stayed and there was nothing to do about it except hesitate and make an effort to send it away. It didn’t work.

Gabby was sitting patiently on the warming sand, waiting for him to come out. This was becoming just as much a part of her routine, it seemed. How long could she, would she wait for him to come out? Swimming was her favorite thing to do, after all, but she postponed it so they could exchange compliments.

It was rude to keep a mare awaiting, High Tide reasoned, and that simple conviction was enough to put a bounce in his step and send him forward into this new territory in their relationship. Just like every time them played, he really had no plan for becoming her daddy. Was it something she wanted? Would that be something crossing the line? It was so hard to understand her, despite how utterly simple she acted. All he could do was dive in, headfirst, and hope the waters would be kind to him.

“Hello, my pretty orca,” High Tide said, cool and smooth as could be. Gabby’s presence brought renewed confidence, her smile like a bolt of lightning for his insides.

The rubbery mare bounced in place. “Hi there, my handsome stallion!” she cheered. “Are you ready for a super fun day of playing and laughing?”

High Tide chuckled, feeling her hyperactive energy fill his being. “You mean like we have every day?”

“Yep!” Gabby’s hopping came to a stop as her eyes set on the fishnet he had slung over his back. More specifically, the colorful objects inside. “Hey, what’s that? Are we gonna go catch fish?”

“Nope. I thought maybe we could do something on the beach today.” Grabbing the net with his teeth, High Tide allowed a small pile of buckets and tiny plastic shovels fall to the ground as he pulled the net away.

Gabby tilted her head the same way a curious foal would when they first discover a new toy. Falling to her stomach, Gabby picked up one of the colorful buckets, all the while her smile turning into a grin at a steady pace. “Mister Tide, are we going to play with the sand?”

High Tide nodded and picked up a bucket by it’s handle. “Only if you want to. My dad and I used to make the best sand castles ever, and he knew all the best secrets to make them awesome. I’ll get us some water, can you start filling the other ones with sand?”

“I sure can!” Gabby grabbed a bucket in her slick hooves and scooped up as much sand as she could get in one go, then piled more inside with a shovel. Once packed full, she repeated the process several times with the others until she had five bucketfuls of sand. High Tide trotted back with some sea water and poured some into each one, letting the moisture soak in to keep them stable. He plopped down beside her, closer than would be comfortable with any other pony, while she grabbed a bucket and tipped it upside down to create their first tower.

High Tide smiled. “My dad always said the start was the most important part of anything.” A line was carved in the sand as he carried his hoof, starting from the base of the tower Gabby made. “See this square? This is how our castle will start. These can be the walls, and each corner can be one of the towers.”

Gabby grabbed another bucket and plopped on one of the corner High Tide made. “This one can be your room, Mister Tide. We’ll fill it with lots of books and seashells, and you’ll be able to see the ocean from your room.”

Smiling, High Tide said, “That would be lovely, but it sure would be lonely. If only I had somepony to keep me company...”

“Ooh, ooh, I could!” Gabby beamed and brought her hoof up to poke High Tide. The process of doing so led to knocking down the sand tower she had just made. For the first time since he had known her, Gabby blushed and shrunk into herself. “Oh no, I’m sorry! I just ruined your room!”

High Tide barked out a laugh, caught off guard by seeing this new emotion come from the always-bubbly mare. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, I didn’t want a room built all for me, anyway.” This time High Tide built a tower, on the ruins of the old one. “This one will have a room for you and one for me, right next to each other. If we want to see each other, all we have to do is walk next door and come on in. I’d visit you every day and give you a hug and a...” He cleared his throat. “A goodnight hug and kiss.”

There was a tense second of silence for High Tide as he wondered what Gabby would do or say. As they tended to be when Gabby was involved, his fears were ungrounded. This was proven by an excited gasp and a pounce-like hug from her while she pressed their cheeks together firm-but-loving snuggle. Before he knew what had happened, a smooch was placed on his nose.

“I would love that, Mister Tide!” Gabby cried out, her hind legs kicking up sand and her tail swaying rapidly from left to right.

It took High Tide some time to come to grips with how fast Gabby was moving. Taking a deep breath and reminding himself to go with the flow, High Tide returned the hug and the nuzzle with just as much vigor. The force he used when pressing their cheeks together sent tremors down his spine, shivers of nervous energy as excitement welled. The waters tested, High Tide took another plunge and pressed his lips onto her cheek in a returned kiss.

Gabby’s body trembled as though tumbling through a wave. Their castle became forgotten as they held each other close, their bodies warm from the close contact and the sun’s glow. What exactly had happened wasn’t clear to High Tide, but he had Gabby, and Gabby was happy. That was enough for now.

“Mister Tide?” Gabby asked.

“Yes, my pretty orca?”

“What will my room look like in our castle?” The sincerity in her voice, as pretty much everything else about her, gave him pause.

High Tide smiled, gulping his worry down into his stomach. Ever since his friend had pointed out his desires, he’d fantasized so many things. Holding her in his lap while rocking her to sleep, reading her The Oyster and The Clam as a bedtime story, tucking her in with tender movements in her bed. Or maybe it would be a crib. He’d never thought too hard about the space itself, but her diapers always leaned his thoughts toward a more foalish place. “Your room would be painted just like the ocean. The walls would look like you were under the water with kelp and fish swimming around. There would be all the toys you could want and a shelf full of books that you would love. And every night I’d read you a story after I put you in bed.”

“And when you’re done, that’s when I’d get a hug and kiss, right?” Gabby asked, poking a window into their tower.

“And not a moment later.” With some difficulty trying to stay next to Gabby, High Tide grabbed another bucket of wet sand and created another tower. “A hug more snug than your suit and a kiss like an octopus sucker. A pat on your bottom, a nuzzle and a cuddle, then I’ll turn off the lights and let you sleep.”

Gabby’s cheeks, much to High Tide’s surprise, burned red again. She kept her cheery smile and attitude, though, playfully wiggling her tush. “I’d like that a lot, Mister Tide. With my diapers it’s be an extra soft pat-pat.” She giggled. “Maybe you should wear some so I can give you diaper pats.”

High Tide found himself tilting his head and raising his brow at the idea. Had he been asked to try wearing diapers a long time ago, he would not have hesitated in saying no. Even now, he wanted to be her daddy, and daddies didn’t wear diapers. If it made her happy, though...

“Maybe,” High Tide said. “If I do, though, I get to put you in a crib when you go to sleep, and you can’t get out without my help. After all, foals are helpless all by themselves.”

Digging a moat in front of the where the walls were planned, Gabby giggled again, the sound like wind chimes to High Tide. “Of course, silly! It wouldn’t be a nursery without a crib! And we’d need a changing table for me. And maybe you.” Her diapered haunches bumped into his.

The part of High Tide’s mind full of doubt believed her to be joking. A nursery? As if. What grown mare would want to sleep in a nursery? But that little voice in his head was pushed so far in the back it might as well not exist once their eyes met. Gabby was sincere, earnest as she spoke. She wasn’t playing; she was really asking what their castle would be like.

“Only because you want me to,” he replied, pulling her close.

“Nu-uh, Mister Tide, you gotta want it too,” Gabby sang. “I wouldn’t make you if you didn’t want to.”

With a chuckle, High Tide stood up and grabbed a few bucket handles in his teeth. “It would be kinda silly of me, huh? But ponies other than foals wear diapers, you know.” Another plunge into the unknown, High Tide poked her massive diaper for emphasis.

A squeal of glee escaped Gabby after being touched, flipping onto her back and kicking her legs just as a newborn foal might. “I guess you got me there.” She sighed, rubbing her white underbelly and the friction of her rubber suit making squeaks. “Maybe I’m part foal, part orca, and part pony!”

“That doesn’t make sense.” High Tide poked the front of her diaper, then moved his hoof down to her tummy afterwards for a tickling rub. “You’re part pony, part orca, and all foal.”

Gabby snorted and grabbed his hoof, doing what she always did when his hoof was hers to play with, and rubbed every part of her face against it. “Looks like you caught me, Mister Tide. My mommy always said I would never grow up.”

High Tide’s already gentle smile softened even more as he said, “Looks like your mommy was right. Now, how about we finish our castle, Princess Gabby?”

“Princess?” Gabby’s eyes sparkled and her voice turned into a wonderment-filled gasp. “I get to be the princess?”

“I only know one mare pretty enough for the job.” High Tide pulled his hood from her grasp and spat the buckets away. Then he brushed her bangs aside and leaned down to kiss her forehead. “The pretty pudgy baby orca, right here. The most beautiful mare in all of the seas.”

“Mister Tide, stop!” Gabby whined, covering her face with her hooves to hide her blush. “You’re embarrassing me, and I get all silly and loose when I’m embarrassed!”

“What’s the matter, are you going to wet yourself?” High Tide asked.

Gabby nodded, the redness spreading so much her hooves couldn’t hope to cover it all.

High Tide leaned next to her ear and sang, “Pretty little orca, shiniest in the sea, you’re the only orca pretty enough for me~”

“Eeeek!” Gabby cried, flipping over to hide her head in the sand. High Tide barked out a laugh and gave her bottom a playful swat before going to collect more sea water. When he came back, Gabby was as he left her, squirming and wriggling in place, her pampered tush especially so.

“Princess, aren’t we going to finish our castle?” he asked, poking her side and setting the buckets down.

Gabby pulled her head out and shook her tail every which way. “You made me use my diaper!”

“Isn’t that what they’re for?” High Tide gently rubbed the seat of her diaper.

“Oh yeah! I forgot I’m a foal for a minute.” She giggled and took the water to mix it with sand, same as High Tide had done. “Thank you, Mister Tide.”

High Tide mimicked Gabby with creating their castle’s version of concrete. “For what?” he asked, turning to her.

Gabby placed a surprise kiss on his chin. “For being you.”

“My pleasure, my pretty little orca.” High Tide nuzzled his nose against hers and went back to work on their miniature sandy abode. “I wouldn’t be a very good ‘me’ if I wasn’t me, though.”

She blinked as though she had learned about the ocean for the first time. “You are you... I like that a lot. I mean you are extra special.”

“You are too, you know,” High Tide commented. “You’re one of the most special ponies I’ve ever met. You’re cute, you’re sweet, and you make me smile every time I see you.”

Gabby’s smile grew the tiniest more  “You’re handsome, strong, kind, and you make me feel like... like.. oh, I don’t know a word good enough for it!”

High Tide snickered as the wall he was working on formed definition and stability. “There are a lot of feelings ponies have we can’t make words for. Sometimes in my books, when the writers can’t find a good word, they use a bunch of words to create a meaning.”

Tapping her chin, Gabby said, “Gosh, you sure are smart, Mister Tide. Hmm, let me think...” She patted her side of the castle walls, concentrating her thoughts into meaningful descriptions. “You make me feel like... like I’m the surf of the ocean, and you’re like the beach. I come and I go, but you’re alway there for me. You’re somewhere safe, somepony I can see who’s sturdier than a mountain.”

“Oh, wow... Gabby, that was wonderful.” High Tide brought a hoof to his chest, the feelings she had been giving him washing over him with renewed strength. Was he truly so special to her?

“My Mommy and Daddy always said I shouldn’t lie.” Gabby smiled with all the innocence of a child, and High Tide couldn’t stop his heart from racing as the smile was directed at him. “I’m just telling the truth, Mister Tide.”

High Tide’s cheeks burned red. “You’re a good girl for listening to your parents, Gabby. Anypony would be so lucky to have you as a daughter.”

The giddy blush came back with avengence on Gabby’s cheeks. “That’s just what my daddy used to say to me. What were your parents like?”

“My parents?”

“Sure!” Gabby grinned and set to work on the next wall of their castle. “I’d love to know more about you, and you said your daddy helped you make sand castles. Was he every bit as nice as you are?”

A wistful sigh left High Tide’s lungs as he looked up at the sky. “My parents are amazing. Me and dad, we would go diving out in the water. He’s the one who got me collecting treasures, you see. We used to go diving out in the water to see what we could find at the bottom of rock beds and coral reefs.”

“Sounds like you two had lots of fun,” Gabby added, to which High Tide nodded.

“Dad loved the sea every bit as much as you do, Gabby.” His gaze fell upon the horizon, where the sky and the ocean met. “All the things dads do, he did them. Helping me learn about life, finding my place in the world. But you know how it is, right? There’s no dad like Dad.”

Gabby nodded, closing her eyes to let her own memories dance across her vision. “No daddy is the same as your Daddy. Kinda like how I can’t really describe you in a word, huh?”

High Tide wondered if the implication he heard in her words was intentional on Gabby’s part. “That’s exactly as I see it. And mom was Mom, kissing my booboos and baking warm cookies that she let me sneak before dinner.”

“Lucky! My mommy never let me have snacks before supper time!” Gabby wrinkled her nose and flicked her tail.

“No mom like Mom.” High Tide stuck his tongue out at her.

Gabby rested her chin on her hooves. “Where are they now, Mister Tide?”

“Mom and Dad moved inland, away from the sea,” High Tide said, pouring some leftover water onto a castle wall to strengthen it. “Don’t worry, Dad didn’t lose his passion. But Mom’s work took her away from here, and he loved her a bit more.”

Gabby hummed. “And you stayed behind.”

“That I did. It’d be pretty hard for us to talk to each other if I hadn’t.” High Tide winked, earning a giggle from the orca-looking mare.

“Of course, silly, you’re right here! But why did you stay here instead of going with your parents?”

High Tide paused and furrowed his brow. “Hmm, how do I say this... The truth is I never really figured it out. Maybe it was a lot of things. I was an adult when they moved, so maybe I thought I could be a grownup on my own. Or perhaps home seemed too much like home for me to go away. I could have left with them and sometimes I wish I had.” The thoughtful expression he wore softened as he smiled. “Heh, you know, though, I’m happy I didn’t go with them.”

Gabby frowned. It was the second time he had ever seen her lips curved downwards and not be a playful pout. “Why’s that, Mister Tide?” She ‘ooped!’ in surprise as High Tide pressed his hoof against her snout as a poke.

“Like I said, if I went with them, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now.”

As she always did when given the chance, Gabby grabbed his hoof and nuzzled it fervently. “Mmmm, Mister Tide, my heart’s flying!”

High Tide laughed and leaned closer to press the tops of their heads together. “Careful, don’t let it get away! Here.” His hoof reached up in the air and ‘grabbed’ her soaring heart, which he then pressed into her chest. “There we go, that was a close one.”

Gabby broke out into laughter, High Tide’s greatest prize. The reward he earned lasted for several minutes before she calmed down enough to get back to work on the castle courtyard.

“What about your parents?” High Tide asked, finished up the last wall. “Are they nice ponies? Is your mommy as pretty as you?”

“My mommy is the prettiest mare you’d ever see, Mister Tide,” Gabby replied, throwing a hooful of sand over her shoulder as she dug, completely forgetting about the shovels at her side. “And she’s a really good singer. Every night she would make stories out of lullabies. It was beautiful, Mister Tide. I hope you’ll get to hear her someday.”

“I’m afraid I can’t sing too good,” High Tide said. “You’ll have to settle with a music box with me. How about your dad? I bet he’s even crazier about the ocean than you are.”

Gabby giggled and nodded. “That’s very true. Daddy loves the sea so, so much, he’d do anything to protect it.”

High Tide blinked at the word ‘protect’, but brushed it off. “Figured as much. And did he take good care of you?”

“Yeppers! Daddy always made sure I was happy. We used to play tag and hide and seek with fish and a million other games.” Gabby snickered. “I remember this one time a whole school of bass got lost in his mane. Every time he shook his head, a bunch of them would fly out.”

Again, High Tide blinked. How big would a mane have to be for a bunch of fish to get lost within? Or perhaps it was an exaggeration on her part. Memories did tend to become grander as time passed. “So why aren’t you still with them?”

“Oh, I wanted to see more of the world,” Gabby replied with a giggle and pointing out to sea. “Well, sort of. I couldn’t be too far from the sea, not ever. They’re across the ocean, and I can go and see them any time I want.”

“Seems like a long trip for ‘any time you want’.” High Tide chuckled himself. 

“The way there only seems long, I promise,” Gabby said as she flattened the grounds inside the castle.

High Tide rolled his eyes, then steeled his nerves and took a breath.“So... did you always wear diapers when you were with them?”

Gabby shook her head, paused, opened her eyes wide, then nodded. “I did, but they didn’t care. They let me be me, simple as that.”

“Didn’t care, but didn’t take care, either,” High Tide added.

Puckering her lips in thought, Gabby said, “I guess you could say that. Mommy and Daddy didn’t play with me the way you do, Mister Tide. At least they didn’t when I became a big pony.”

The way you do. Those words bounced around in High Tide’s mind. It was treatment she wanted from her parents, treatment he provided for her. Gabby liked the way he treated her. “You’ll always be my pretty little orca, Gabby.”

Gabby grinned, her tail swishing and her hind hooves curling in the sand. “I like being yours, Mister Tide. Hey, I was thinking... you said I’m the princess of the castle.”

“That I did,” High Tide agreed as he began to dig a moat.

“If I’m the princess, that means the castle needs a king! And I know only one pony handsome, kind, and caring enough to be king of this beach.” Gabby pressed her rubbery hoof against High Tide’s chest. “And that’s you!”

High Tide’s heart fluttered as she said that. “Gabby, if I’m the king and you’re the princess, wouldn’t that make you my daughter?”

“You’re so silly sometimes,” Gabby said with a giggle. High Tide’s heart sunk like a rock in water before being lifted back up by Gabby speaking again. “Of course I’d be your daughter! King Tide and Princess Gabby, rulers of the beach!”

Chuckling more in relief than amusement, High Tide shoved a hill of sand away for the moat they had wordlessly agreed to build. “Wouldn’t that be nice? The two of us in a big castle, doing whatever we wanted? Of course, if I was your daddy, I’d make sure you didn’t do anything too crazy, because that’s what good daddies do.”

“You’d be a great daddy,” Gabby said as though she was saying the ocean was wet. The bluntness of her statement sent him reeling inwardly. “Would you let me have dessert before dinner?”

“Hmm... only if you asked me as nice as you possibly could.”

Gabby’s eyes became wide as she flopped onto her back, pushing herself until she rested underneath High Tide’s head. “Pleeeeeeease, Daddy, can’t I have a few cookies before supper?”

It amused High Tide greatly that she barely had to change her tone at all to sound more like a foal begging for sweets. Maybe she wasn’t even trying. “Okay, okay, but just a few.” Both broke out into a laugh, Gabby grabbing High Tide in an awkward upside down hug that he returned it with just as much difficulty.

“What do you think we should name our kingdom?” Gabby asked as High Tide helped her back up. “The land of the beach sounds nice, but it should be something more magical sounding.”

High Tide grinned. “I’m perfectly happy with the Kingdom of Gabby.”

With a snort and a shove toward High Tide, Gabby said, “Mister Tide, you’re too much for me.”

“Too bad I can’t get enough of you.” High Tide chuckled as she bashfully turned her head away. “Okay, okay, how about the Orca Kingdom? You’ll be the princess of all the orcas in the world, their sovereign of swimming and being beautiful.”

“You can’t be a princess of being beautiful, Mister Tide,” Gabby said, sticking out her tongue.

“Well, there's a first time for everything. And besides, I'm king, aren't I? I can declare you to be the princess of being beautiful if I want." High Tide stood up, holding one of the little shovels in his hoof and resting the flat end on her shoulder, one after the other. “I hereby pronounce you Princess Gabby, Princess of Beauty, outshining even the sea.”

Gabby’s tail flailed about, squealing and squeaking as a bout of nervous energy coursed through her body. “Mister Tide, why are you so sweet and silly?”

High Tide leaned down and nuzzled the top of Gabby’s head. “Guess you just bring out the best of me, my pretty little Orca.”

“But something’s missing...” Gabby scrutinized their sand castle. In the time they had been sweet talking each other, High Tide had wordlessly guided Gabby through creating a fairly grand home out of the sand. Strong were the thick walls, the four towers reaching high enough that all the beach could be seen

“You think so? How about some decorations?” High Tide smiled and looked towards his home. “We could add some sea shells the the walls, really liven the place up.”

“That could work,” Gabby said. “But I think you need to be decorated.”

High Tide turned around to raise his brow and only managed half of the intended distance before one of the buckets was plopped onto his head.

“Tada! Can’t be a kind without a crown,” Gabby said as she stuck her tongue out.

Harumphing playfully, High Tide readjusted his new headpiece so it sat properly. “Very true. But you know you aren’t a princess quite yet. Can you wait here for a moment while I get you your royal regalia?”

Gabby tilted her head. “What’s a regelia?”

“Wait right here and find out.” With that said, High Tide rushed off to his house and vanished inside before running back out. In his teeth was a beaded necklace with some tiny shells such as sand dollars or clams. Gabby’s eyes sparkled as she reached out to touch it.

“Mister Tide, it’s wonderful.”

He leaned over her head and let the necklace fall around her neck. “Not as wonderful as you, but it gets the job- oof!”

Not a moment after the necklace was on her rubbery neck, Gabby tackled High Tide to the ground, rolling and tumbling as she cuddled him with every bit of herself that she could. “It’s better than perfect!”

High Tide laughed and held her tight, entwining his tail around hers. “That really shows how special you are then, huh?”

Gabby hummed while nuzzling her face all over High Tide’s, ending off with them being nose-to-nose. “I wish days like these could last forever, Mister Tide. Every time I’m with you I want to just dance and hug you and never let go.”

“The feeling is mutual, but hugs and kisses can only go on so long before they stop being special.” High Tide didn’t let go of her and instead held her tighter. “But I’ll make sure they last as long as they can.”

“Too bad our castle can’t last forever,” Gabby said, rolling over so they were lying on their sides. “I’d love to be your princess if it meant I could have you as my Daddy, Mister Tide.”

High Tide’s heart felt ready to explode, so full of joy as it was. “Well... you don’t have to be a princess to be my daughter.”

Their hearts beat in their chests so hard they had a hard time telling whose heavy thumps were whose. Gabby’s cheeks turned red, her smile small, embarrassed. It was a smile he High Tide would have thought was normal on some other mare, but meant so much more when Gabby wore it. “Mister Tide... I was wondering something”

“Yes?” High Tide egged on, his confidence rising to new heights, just to make sure she was safe, to let her know everything would be okay.

“Tomorrow, can I sleep over?” Her eyes sparkled with hope. “I would love it if you would read me my favorite book.”

Nodding, High Tide reached her leg over to pat Gabby’s tush. “I would love that almost more than anything.”

Gabby blinked. “Almost?”

“I love you just a bit more.” High Tide flicked her nose with his other hoof. “Your favorite book is still The Oyster and The Clam, right?”

Gabby’s eyes sparkled as she gripped him tighter. “Mister Tide, you do remember!”

“I remember every little detail about you.” High Tide stood up, taking Gabby’s hoof to pull her up with him. “Your favorite color is blue, you love a warm glass of milk before bed, your favorite breakfast is toast with lemon marmalade, and you think kelp leaves make an excellent salad.”

Gabby nodded and hopped in place.

“You love laughing, it’s your second favorite thing ever. Your first, though? I’d be pretty silly to forget. You love the ocean and to swim in it. It’s practically your home.” High Tide was rewarded with a peck on the cheek as Gabby shook her head.

“Close, but laughing is only my third. Swimming is my second.”

High Tide’s eyes went wide. “But... you said that when we first met.”

“I did.” Gabby giggled and let High Tide’s hoof go. “I’ll tell you my first favorite thing tomorrow after story time. Until then, let’s keep playing! I do still want to go swimming with you.” Gabby dug her hoof into the sand a little ways. “You don’t mind if I bring diapers for a change when I pack up, do you?”

Ah, a test if there ever was one. Did High Tide accept her padding? How far would he go to let her know it was alright? High Tide smiled, ready to pass with flying colors. “Gabby, I know you like being silly, but don’t be that silly. How am I going the change your diapers if we don’t have spares?”

“M-Mister Tide,” she started, dancing on her hooves and clearly elated with his response. “You don’t have to change me if you don’t want to.”

“What kind of daddy would I be if I didn’t?”

Gabby’s squeal sounded identical to a dolphin cry. Before High Tide had the chance to say more, Gabby planted another kiss on his nose before running off into the water. “Come on! I want to show you a new trick I want to practice!”

Rolling his eyes, High Tide chased after her, pausing to glance at their sand castle. An idea formed in his head as he remembered his latest promise to her. “Coming!” he cried before jumping into the waves after her.

It seemed a lifetime ago that the idea of bringing a mare into his abode would have made him nervous. It wasn’t a bias so much as there was always an awkward tension whenever he’d had friends who happened to be mares. One wrong move and it could dip into romantic territory. A relationship of that nature just wasn’t something he wanted, not as it was normally presented. If there was ever a mare who was going to be his special somepony, she would more likely be a friend than a traditional wife as it was known.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be right to say the idea didn’t still spook High Tide, but Gabby was exempt. This wasn’t about impressing her, and it wasn’t just about having a good time. This was about taking care of her, making her happy. Making his tiny home as presentable as possible wasn’t about letting her see him as a good pony, it was to make sure she was as comfortable as she possibly could be.

It didn’t help matters that he was tired when he tried to tidy the place up. Spending the better half of the night building an ocean proof wall took up a lot of his energy, probably more than he should have spent. But for Gabby, he reasoned, it was worth it.

Looking as his freshly shined home did give High Tide a feeling of satisfaction that was worth it on it’s own. Living by one’s self did have the effect of making a habitual laze-about out of a pony, what with no one to judge him or care. He couldn’t remember the last time the stove sparkled so, or when his bed had been made as neatly as it now was. Jokingly, High Tide thought to himself that all he needed was a suit and tie and he’d be good to go.

Although cleaning took a lot of work, it was over all too soon. There came the time where Tide had to wait around in his comfy chair and steal quick naps with an egg timer at the ready. Not that he got much sleeping done, nervous as he was. The tension of waiting was unbearable, whether or not he was scared of how this day would go or how anxious he was for it to start.

Around the time Gabby usually arrived on the beach, there was a rapid knock at the door that jolted High Tide from his near-doze. Shutting his timer off, High Tide went to open the door, starting with, “Hey, Ga-” before he was tackled the the ground by a mass of rubber.

“You did it! You meant it! Eeeeeeeeeek~! Mister Tide, you really did it!”

High Tide, still half asleep and only with enough sense to return her hug, looked around in confusion. “H-Huh, what? What’d I do?”

“You said you’d make it last and you did! You did!” The next thing High Tide knew, he was attacked with a barrage of kisses all over his face.

As much as he loved to be on the receiving end of her kiss attack, the wooden floor wasn’t the comfiest place to rest. “Heh, heh, like I said... what daddies do, right?” High Tide gently pushed her up and off his body, though not before returning a kiss of his own, and stood up to stretch. “Just like my hugs, I’ll make sure what we have will last as long as possible.”

Gabby spun in place like a puppy chasing its tail, humming as she did so. “Mister Tide, I don’t know what to say! You’re so wonderful and everything is perfect and I couldn’t be happier!”

“You’re sure saying a lot of things for a pony who doesn’t know what to say.” High Tide stuck his tongue out and grabbed her hoof when the chance presented itself, ending her spinning. “Come on, let’s get you set up and then we can go play outside. Maybe we can...we can...” As he spoke he let out a yawn and leaned the wall of his small hallway for support. “Set up some more walls...”

“Mister Tide?” Gabby asked, waving a hoof in front of his face. “Mister Tide, the moon isn’t up yet! You can’t go to bed, silly.”

With a snort, High Tide jumped back into a standing position. “Who, oh, yes, right! It’s light!” Grin twitching, High Tide moved to grab Gabby’s saddle bags only to be blocked by said mare planting a kiss on his nose.

“You stayed up all night to build that wall, didn’t you?” Gabby cooed. “Just so it would be ready when I got here.”

High Tide snickered, deciding to omit a third of his designated sleep time went to cleaning his house. “Okay, okay, ya got me.” Another yawn escaped him as he wobbled in place. “I’m guilty of making a barricade against the sea, depriving myself of precious winks. But hey, I did it for you.” He smiled a sincere-but-tired smile, rubbing their noses together. “Does that lessen my sentence?”

“Hmm...” Gabby hummed and tapped her chin. “I’m thinking you should lay in bed and have a nap until you stop being sleepy, at least five hours.” A giggle escaped her before a realization washed across her face, turning her expression stern. Or as close as a pony in an orca suit and diapers could manage. “You heard what I said, little pony, off to bed with you.”

A laugh shook some of the sleepiness from High Tide’s eyes when he say Gabby’s furrowed brow and false frown. “H-Hey, I thought I was supposed to be the parent here!”

Gabby’s parental face lasted not a moment more after he spoke, snorting a laugh herself. “If you’re going to do silly things like this, then maybe you need a mommy once in a while.” Sticking her tongue out, she dipped her body forward so her bags slipped over her head to plop onto the ground. She followed this by taking his hoof and pulling him outside. “Alright, Mister Tide, you can come outside for a few minutes, but then it’s off to bed with you.”

Rolling his eyes, High Tide followed her, not quite as bouncy as he usually was. “Fine, fine, mommy. So... what do you think of the castle renovations?”

They reached the grand castle wall and stood by the edge, Gabby’s eyes sparkling and High Tide’s filling with calm joy. Their sandy abode had become nigh impenetrable to any force that could crawl across the beach to attack the walls. This included the occasional crab, of which one happened to be picking at the piece of lumber that it couldn’t understand was in its way, but more importantly, the sea couldn’t wash their castle away. It would take a powerful wave to crash over the two-foot wall of nailed-debris, and even it it did, there was a moat on the other side it would fall into. Deep and wide was the trench, an effort that would have taken a lot of digging.

“It’s amazing, Mister Tide!” Gabby dipped her head into the moat, coming back out with her nose covered in sand and following up with a sneeze.

“Bless you,” High Tide said before being tackled in another hug. “Why are you the one always starting the hugs?”

“Oh!” Gabby pulled back and spread her forelegs wide. “Would you like a turn?”

High Tide pulled Gabby into a snuggly hug, squeezing her enough to make her suit squeak. “Hmm, so that’s what it’s like to give the hugs first. I’d forgotten.”

“Hmm...” Gabby hummed, rubbing their cheeks together, her tail wagging left and right. “This is like when I described you as the beach, isn’t it? Cause that’s what I think it is.” That rare blush appeared on her cheeks, something High Tide could hardly believe he was seeing so much of in two days.

“A lot like that.” Pulling back, High Tide brushed a stray bang from her face so their eyes locked without hinderance. “I can’t make the hugs and kisses last forever. The snuggles sometimes have to end. Eventually, the waters of life will have to take me away. And it’ll only be for a little while.” A yawn tried to fight through, but he refused to be interrupted. “Eventually, this castle will fall. The waves will get so big that there’s not much I can do to stop them. You know what I’ll do then?”

“I think I already know,” Gabby replied, leaning their foreheads together. “We’ll get together and build it back up.”

“It’ll be a little bigger and a little stronger. That’s just what happens with my heart every time I see you.” The yawn would not stay down for long and soon High Tide found himself smacking his lips in the after effect. “My love feels a little stronger.”

“And that’s why you’d be a great daddy,” Gabby cooed before pulling back and making a second attempt at being stern. “But right now, you’re the baby and I’m the mommy, and mommy says you need to get some sleep.”

High Tide turned his head and pouted. “But I don’t waaaaana,” he whined.

“Too bad, mister.” Gabby took his hoof again and tugged, High Tide playfully fighting back as she led him back into his house. “You’re going straight to bed! Umm... which one of these leads to your bed?”

Snickering, High Tide took the lead and pulled Gabby along. “I know my house isn’t very big. Four rooms sounds like a lot until you find out they can barely hold two shelves before getting too cramped. Over here is the bathroom.” He winked her way before adding, “Not that you’ll see it often.”

Gabby snickered and shook her bottom. “Probably not.”

“The room next to it is the kitchen. Not much there, since all I can fit in is a mini fridge if I want an oven. The opposite rooms are my storage space and the treasure room.”

“Treasure?” Foalish curiosity took Gabby over and the mare opened the door to be met with a plethora of objects the sea had washed up. Loads of shells, chunks of wood, metal bit and bobs that were rusted red, crystal like objects, and many other baubles of that mature.. “My goodness, look at it all! You found all this?”

High Tide grinned and rested his head on her shoulder. “Saying I found them would be cheating. The sea gave them to me. All these goodies I trade and sell, the ocean was nice enough to bring. It even brought me the greatest treasure I’ve ever had in my life.”

The orca-dressed mare swept her gaze across the room of goodies. “Which one is it? Oh, I bet it’s the pearl! Is it the pearl?”

“Nope, guess again.”

“Oooh, I bet it’s that really big conch shell!”

Shaking his head, High Tide replied, “Sorry, but you’re not going to find the special treasure in that room. It’s in this hallway.”

Gabby turned her head every which way to find this valuable item, but there was nothing in the hall besides herself and High Tide. “But Mister Tide, there’s nothing in here... oh!” Eyes widening, Gabby broke out in a fit of giggles and bounced in place. “I should have known!”

High Tide flicked her nose and chuckled along with her, taking her bags from the ground. “The sea brought you to me, so I think you count.”

“In that case, you’re the greatest treasure I’ve ever found on a beach!” Gabby retorted as she poked his chest. “I’m not a treasure hunter like you, but you’re the most valuable pony I’ve ever met.”

“Right back at you, my pretty little Orca.” Taking her hoof again and yawning, High Tide reached up and pulled at a hanging string to make a set of stairs fall from the ceiling.

A gasp escaped Gabby as she looked up into the new alcove. “You live in a secret passage?”

Snorting a laugh, High Tide walked up the steps. “Not exactly. You could say this was supposed to be the real storage room, but I decided to use the space for something else.”

This room was as big as first floor and without any walls to get in the way, allowing the bookshelf, the bed, the nightstand, and the reclining chair to sit in the places while giving the two ponies enough room to easily walk in, a far cry from the cramped space below them. Before High Tide could turn his room into a tour visit, Gabby shoved him towards his mattress.

“Whoa, hey!”

“Alright, enough playing for you, it’s time to get in bed and rest up.” Gabby pushed him until she could tip him over onto the sheets. In her haste, she did not notice the book that was lying on top until the sound his High Tide’s back hitting the hard surface.

With a cry of ouch, High Tide rolled over to reach a comfier position, giving Gabby full few of the foal’s picture book that had been waiting for her. “Mister Tide, is that what I think it is?” she asked as she picked it up and read the title, The Oyster and the Clam.

High Tide groaned and sat up, arching his back and being rewarded with a crack from his spine. “If you think that’s your favorite book, you’d be right.” Smiling, he turned to her and patted the little free space left on the bed.

“Mister Tide, how can there be a pony as nice as you?” Gabby crawled into bed with him, pulling the covers over them both and cuddling their bodies together. It was a strange sensation for them to not have sand under them as they hugged.

“One of those great mysteries. And I don’t care how much you say you’re the mommy right now, Daddy is reading this story to you.” High Tide stuck his tongue out as he took the thin book, wrapping a foreleg round Gabbys shoulders so he could hold the book open and simultaneously hug her.

In response, Gabby nuzzled the top of her head into his neck and wrapped all her rubbery legs around High Tide. “You can be the Daddy for a little bit.” The excitement in her voice made it clear she was all too happy to be a foal for story time. “But then you need to take a nap, got it?”

“Fine, if I have to,” he teased as he turned the page to show a picture of cartoon sea creatures, the most prevalent being an oyster sitting on a rock. “Sitting on a rock, there is an Oyster. Oysters are funny creatures. They live in a shell, but not like a turtle or a tortoise. It’s their home sweet home, and they stay in one place all their lives.”

Gabby reached a hoof up to turn the page, the next few pictures showing the oyster still resting in the same spot, watching fish swim by. In response, High Tide kissed the top of Gabby’s head, followed by a giggle from her.

“The Oyster liked its life on the rock. He got to see many different fish every day and other funny creatures who told him stories about the places they had been. Sometimes the Oyster saw a starfish, and when he did, he would make a wish. One wish, and only one wish.”

“He wished for a friend!” Gabby exclaimed.

“Hey, I thought I was telling this story,” High Tide teased as Gabby turned the page again. “The Oyster always wished for a friend that would stay with him. It was a lot of fun to hear about the many different places in the ocean, but the fish had to swim, the crabs had to walk. Poor Oyster couldn’t do either of those things.”

“Poor Oyster...”

The next page turned. “One day, and many, many wishes later, the Oyster met a creature a lot like himself. With great snaps!,” High Tide opened his mouth and bit his teeth together to make a conk sound, “a Clam swam close to Oyster’s rock. It wasn’t like any kind of swimming Oyster had seen, though. The Clam was opening and closing his mouth, just like Oyster could do, so fast that you almost couldn’t see it happen.”

On the next set of pages were the two mollusks looking at each other in surprise. “Both became frozen in shock! Neither had seen another like themselves before. Oyster lived by himself on his rock, while Clam traveled the sea and had never seen someone who wore a shell too.

“‘Who are you?’ Oyster asked.”

Gabby interjected with, “‘I’m Clam!’”

“I thought you were Gabby,” High Tide said,  receiving a shove for his humor. “‘I’m Oyster,’ Oyster said back. ‘Where did you come from?’”

“‘I just got done exploring a sunken pirate ship!’ Clam said, leaping up into the water.”

High Tide couldn’t help but think Clam was all too perfect of a character for Gabby. “Oyster said, ‘Oh, a pirate ship? I’ve heard all about those. Did you find any sunken gold?’”

“Then clam said, “‘I sure did! Hey, why don’t you come with me? We can explore together!’”

“Oyster, however, could not move from where he was. When Oysters made their home, they stayed all their lives in that one spot. ‘Oh, how I would love to go with you,” Oyster said. ‘But I’m stuck in this one spot and can’t move.’”

Gabby turned the page to show both of the shelled creatures looking downcast at Oysters words.

“Poor Oyster...” High Tide trailed off.

“Have you read the story yet?” Gabby asked. “Please tell me you haven’t.”

High Tide smiled her way. “Well since you said please. I haven’t even opened the book until now because I wanted us to do it together. Make it special.”

“Oh, it is! I won’t spoil, nope~” Gabby sang. “‘You can’t come with me? Can’t you swim?’ Clam asked.”

“Oyster said back, ‘No, I can not. I don’t have fins like a fish, and this rock keeps me safe. How are you able to fly through the sea?’”

“‘I clap!’the Clam said,” Gabby turned the page again to show the clam shooting even higher than it had before, “as he leaped so high, he almost jumped right out of the water.”

“Oyster was amazed as he watched Clam drift back down. Clam was certainly an amazing friend to meet, but Oyster knew he couldn’t do what Clam could do. And, really, he didn’t want to. He liked his rock, never once thinking about leaving to see the places he heard about. Perhaps it was just the way all Oysters felt.” The page was turned to show Oyster relaxing in his spot. “Or maybe he knew this was home. Sure, seeing new places might be fun. But for Oyster, there could only be one place he could rest.”

“But Clam became sad.” Gabby’s voice gained the fakest ‘sad’ tone High Tide had ever heard. “He wanted a friend that could come with him on his adventures, and who better than someone in a shell. ‘Isn’t there any way we can play together?’ Clam begged.

“Oyster thought for a moment before saying, ‘I’m not like you and the fish. Here I live, and here I stay. All I can see is my little world looking over the coral and all I can hear are the stories the fish swimming by tell me.” Gabby turned the page for High Tide, the picture showing how much Oyster’s overlooked. A forest of coral and kelp and a rainbow of colorful creatures. “The only time my view changes is when the tide rolls away and I see the top of the sea.”

Gabby giggled and shivered as she read the next line. “Clam became even sadder, but then...” she turned the page to show Clam getting right in Oyster’s face. “‘Wait! You’ve seen the world above the ocean?’”

“Oyster was confused. Why was Clam so excited about this? ‘Y-Yes, I have. I see it every day, when the tide goes in.’”

“Clam looked up at the sky. ‘I’ve always wanted to see the world up there, but I can’t reach it. No matter how hard I jump, I fall back down before getting there.’ Clam then looked back at Oyster and jumped for joy! ‘But you’ve seen that world! What’s it like? Is it just as wet up there as it is down here?’” Gabby snickered out the last line.

“Oyster could hardly believe what he was hearing. Even though he didn’t move from his one spot, he saw something that Clam could never see, even though Clam could swim. Oyster wondered, did the fish see it? They never talked about it. Maybe, just maybe, Oyster was taking for granted something other sea creatures didn’t see.” The page turned, Clam listening with rapt attention to Oyster and Oyster dreaming about . “‘Oh yes, I’ve seen the world up there. But gosh, how can I tell you about it? There’s a whole other ocean way, way up high, but it’s not wet. There are things like fish, but they aren’t fish! Their fins are huge and let them glide through the dry sea.’”

“Seagulls!” Gabby cheered.

“They don’t know that, silly.” High Tide chuckled, though he was clearly having trouble keeping his eyes open at this point. Blinking the sleep away, he continued, “‘And off in the distance, I can see a hill made of sand. There, the strangest creatures of all live. Giants that do not swim at all except for when they come into the water to play.’”

“Ponies!” Gabby cheered, giggling afterward at the silly caricature of a pony Oyster was dreaming up.

“It’s Clam’s turn, Gabby,” High Tide teased.

“Oh! Sorry! Ahem, ‘That’s amazing! You have to tell me all about it! But what’s that big glowing thing up there? The ball that lights up the other sea?’”

“‘I’m not sure,’ said Oyster, looking up with Clam towards the sun. ‘I think it’s a giant pearl.’”

“‘What’s a pearl?’ Clam asked. ‘Is it another thing from above the sea?’”

“Oyster gasped! ‘You’ve never seen a pearl before? Oh, Clam, you must have. I can make them easy, don’t tell me you can’t.’”

“‘How can I make something I’ve never seen?’ Clam asked, before he said happily, ‘Well, if you can do it, Maybe we can do it together.’” Gabby turned the page to show zoomed in pictures of Oyster and Clam sitting side by side on Oyster’s rock. “‘Okay, let’s get started.’”

“Oyster opened his shell and said, ‘First, we catch some sand.’ They did just that. ‘Next, we close our shells.’ Both of them clamped their shells down tight.”

“‘Now what?’ Clam asked.”

“‘Now, we wait.’ And they did just that. They waited...”

Gabby turned the page to show it had become night time, Oyster and Clam in the same spot.

“And waited...”

Another page turned with much the same happening, though the two were clearly happy to talk to one another.

“And waited some more...”

The next page showed the tide had rolled out, and Clam was marveling at the ponies walking on the beach and the seagulls up in the sky.

“And waited! They waited, they talked, and although Clam wanted to move badly, he stayed in place for... for...” High Tide’s head wobbled and a yawn escaped his mouth. “For his new friend and to see what a pearl was. Then, after many days and nights, Clam felt something in his mouth he was sure hadn’t been there before. But not once had he opened his shell. Oyster said, ‘They are done’, opened his shell and...”

Gabby turned the page and grinned wide at the sight of two pearls, one resting with both Oyster and Clam. “There were two beautiful pearls sitting right there! Clam could hardly believe what he was seeing. They shiny little balls gleamed in the sealight. ‘Where did they come from?’ Clam asked.”

“‘We made them,’ Oyster said as proud as could be. ‘We turned the sand into pearls, just like the one in the other sea. Do you like it?’”

“‘I love it!’ Clam shouted, jumping up and dropping his pearl. ‘Whoops!’ The pearl rolled down their rock, over the little hill, and into the forest of kelp and coral below. ‘Oh...’”

“Oyster laughed and laughed. ‘Don’t worry, Clam, we can make another one. Just sit down with me and catch more sand. I have lots more stories to tell.”

Gabby turned the page and Clam and Oyster were looking fairly downtrodden, Gabby’s expression and tone changing to match. “But Clam couldn’t stay anymore. Just like Oyster had to stay in one place, Clam needed to swim. He’d waited a long time already and he needed to swim again.”

“Oyster was sad when he told him, but it was just the way things were.” High Tide sniffled a bit. “Clam had to go, and Oyster couldn’t come with him.”

Gabby gave High Tide a squeeze. “Mister Tide, are you really sad?”

“O-Oh!” He wiped at his nose and rubbed his eyes. “Maybe a little bit...”

Giggling, Gabby turned the page to show the Clam was swimming away. “Clam told Oyster that he needed to go, making them both sad. But they had fun, and were glad that they got to meet. With a long goodbye, Clam jumped off the rock and swam himself away and into the the sea. But, it wasn’t the last time they saw each other.”

“It wasn’t?” High Tide practically begged.

“Nope!” The next few pages showed Clam swimming back, a pack of crabs and a turtle following him. “Clam came back eventually. When friends become good friends, they can’t stay away for long. And Clam brought some other good friends he’d met along his journey.”

“Oyster was so happy to see Clam again! But who were all these other creatures? ‘Clam, you came back!’”

“‘Of course! How could I leave such a good friend behind? Oyster, how would you like to go for a swim?”

“Oyster was confused. ‘But Clam, you know I can’t move from my rock.’”

“‘I do know. So, we’re going to move your rock! My crab friends and Mr. Turtle can help you!’” On the next two pages were the crabs lifting the rock up and putting it on the turtle's back, Oyster surprised by the sudden movement. “Ready for an adventure?”

High Tide smiled, sighing in content as he read, “Oyster smiled as best as an Oyster could smile, saying, ‘Ready as I’ll ever be!” And off they... yawn... went.”

The rest of the pages of in the book were of the odd little group swimming around to ocean sights, seeing pirate ships, vast reefs, and many other undersea wonders. High Tide and Gabby sighed in utter content as the book was closed.

“What a nice story,” High Tide said as he closed his eyes and snuggled deeper into the covers, clutching the book to his chest. “I see why it’s your favorite.”

“When you love someone, you don’t leave them behind.” Gabby kissed his cheek. “Now, you got to read the book to your foal. Is Daddy ready for naptime?”

“Hmm, that depends if I’m your Daddy,” High Tide teased as he stuck his tongue out.

“Yes, you are.” The orca-dressed mare giggled at High Tide’s shocked expression. “Why are you so surprised?”

High Tide chuckled himself before replying. “I guess I’m just surprised you’d want me as your parent. But, well, you aren’t exactly a normal mare.”

Shaking her head, Gabby said, “Nope! I’m a silly foal, and you’re my silly Daddy. But you know what I’d really like?”

“What?”

Gabby tussled High Tide’s mane. “If you could be my orca-daddy. We can go swimming and be extra cuddly!”

“I suppose that means I’ll need a suit like yours, huh?” High Tide yawned again and sunk into his pillow. “Mmm, sure, if I can have a suit like yours I’ll... be your... orca-daddy...” With one more kiss applied to his forehead, High Tide closed his eyes and drifted off.

“Nighty night, Daddy,” Gabby cooed just before he fell asleep.

The dreams that danced through High Tide’s head as he naped were of the same wonderment Gabby usually brought into his life. Both of them swimming through the sea, except they were fish and not ponies, except they were ponies. Dreams were funny like that. Somewhere in the wild mess of his subconscious thoughts, he dreamed that he was laying in a crib with Gabby, said crib being an oyster. Or maybe it was a clam.

As was usually the case when a pony just woke up, High Tide had no idea how much time had passed when his nap came to an end. All he knew was that he was groggy and would have enjoyed some more sleep. Sitting up and turning to the window showed him that the moon had risen and night had fallen.

“So much for a fun day on the beach,” High Tide lamented to himself as he looked down and smiled, seeing Gabby snoring softly with her head in his lap. “Guess we still have tomorrow, huh?”

“Mmm, yeah...” Gabby hummed, to which High Tide chuckled and patted the top of her head.

“Still awake, my pretty little orca?” he asked.

“Uh huh,” she mumbled back. “Dinner for you...”

“Dinner?” High Tide sniffed and found the aroma of roasted seaweed, leading him to a plate of cooked vegetables on his night stand. “Gabby, you didn’t have to make supper for me.”

Gabby simply smiled and snuggled against his stomach. The stallion kissed her mane and moved to get up, pausing when he realized something was different to when he went to sleep. Lifting the sleepy mare up and shoving his blanket aside, High Tide was met with a fluffy and crinkly garment covered in simple cartoon fish hugging his haunches. He’d been put in a diaper.

At first High Tide’s sleepy mind was confused, then he remembered Gabby being motherly and followed that logic until the conclusion of her thinking he’d need a diaper as the foal was easy to grasp. High Tide stood up and experimentally wriggled in place. The diaper wasn’t uncomfortable in the slightest. The inner material was softer than a pillow and the thickness was pleasant to feel, at the least. The slightest step became a waddle and the plastic cover rustled with every movement. Trying to move in the diaper was so entertaining, it took him a moment to realize he was so accepting of this situation and that he’d used Gabby logic to see why he would be made to wear such an article. Both thoughts made him chuckle.

“Guess being a foal isn’t so bad when I’ve got such a sweetie pie loving me,” High Tide teased as he nuzzled Gabbys cheek. “Come on up in bed so you can have a proper sleep.”

“Mmm, but... change...” Gabby half-whined as High Tide lifter her padded bottom up so her whole body was on the bed.

High Tide snickered and patted his diaper. “Sorry, but it’s my turn to be the parent. Just relax and Daddy will take care of you.” Tracing his hoof along her stomach, he felt a shiver course through her body. “That’s right, I’m your Daddy now, and that means you get all my love. Hmm, where are we going to put it all?”

The foalish pony cooed and giggled. “Daddy, you’re so silly. Don’t ever change.”

“I might need to change my diaper,” High Tide said to be replied with more giggles. “Does that count?”

Gabby reached up and placed a hoof on High Tide’s cheek, opening an eye halfway. “I forgot to tell you my first favorite thing.”

“Huh? Oh!” Kneeling down, he perked an ear in her direction. “What’s your new favorite thing in the whole world? I promise I’ll remember forever.”

“That’s good, cause it’s you.” Gabby wrapped her legs around High Tide’s neck and hugged him tight. “I love you, Daddy.”

High Tide had to bite his lip to keep from breaking out in song and dance on the spot and returned her hug, pressing their hearts together. “I love you too, Gabby. Don’t stop being a little foal.”

“Promise...” Gabby yawned and stretched as she let High Tide go. “Mmm, now it’s beddy bye time...”

With a deep breath, High Tide prepared his nerves for the responsibility he’d simultaneously anticipated and dreaded. His hoof pressed against the seat of her outfit, right into her fluffy diaper. Except he could feel, even with the little experience he had with them, that it wasn’t fluffy anymore. “Almost, my pretty orca. You need a diaper change.”

“But I’m tired,” Gabby whined, though she didn’t fight as High Tide pulled her into a sitting position.

“Sorry, sweetie, but I don’t want you going to sleep in a wet diaper. You’ll get rashes, and the only blushing cheeks you should have are are on your face.” He poked her cheeks for emphases.

With a giggle, Gabby spread her legs. “Okay, okay...”

High Tide hummed as he looked Gabby over from every angle he could. The orca suit clung to her body so tightly that he wondered how she got it on in the first place. With no idea how to start, High Tide pushed Gabby’s mane aside to grab at the costume’s neck with his teeth.

Peeling the suit off wasn’t as hard as he had expected it to be, though it certainly was a challenge. It required a few forceful tugs, but the rubber bent to his whim. Once he’d pulled the opening past her neck, High Tide grabbed the suit with one hoof and looped the other under her shoulder to pull her leg out, then did the same with the other. For a moment his gaze lingered on her body, which seemed so small and frail without the suit covering it, even if she was a tad on the pudgy side. Even under the suit, she smelled like the sea.

Gabby groggily tipped forward only to be caught by Tide’s hug. “How about we lay you on your back, sweetie?” he asked, though Gabby didn’t respond beyond a moan. Resting her down, he figured he could pull the rest of the rubber suit off now that her forelegs were free. The rest of outfit wasn’t easy to pull off, especially with the spongy material on the inside that didn’t like to bend too far, but it was manageable. When he tugged it off down to her stomach, the scent of stale urine filled the room, to which High Tide wrinkled his nose. He supposed that was a smell he would have to get used to if this was going to be a regular thing, which it would be.

The suit became stuck around her diaper and tail, but he had figured that would be the case as these were the thickest areas. Several rubber scrunches and creaks filled the room as High Tide pulled as hard as he could without jostling Gabby too much. With much pulling, the suit unwound down her diaper and the last thing to do was pull the waterproof leggings up her thighs. Gabby made it easy by sticking her hind legs up high, which High Tide thanked her for. Off the suit came, leaving his giant foal in just her diaper and the rubber socks of her outfit. High Tide made sure to give her hooves lots of tickles as he pulled them off.

A curiosity was satisfied as he finally got to see her without her orca skin. She looked just like a normal pony, but somehow seemed as youthful as a foal. Her body was dainty in his eyes, the diaper adding to the appearance. Much to his amusement, said diaper had turned almost completely blue, giving the fish an ocean to swim in. No doubt his diaper would do much the same when he wet it.

“When I wet it? Gabby’s turned me into her foal already,” he mused. Reaching down for her saddlebags, High Tide pulled out a fresh diaper, wipes, and foal powder and spread Gabby’s legs. Amused, High Tide realized he was basically undressing a mare in his bed. “Alright, sweetie, I’m going to change you now.”

“Mmm, thanks...” Gabby moaned with a smile.

High Tide tugged the tapes off the diaper, took a deep breath, and unraveled the plastic garment to pull away and wad up. Gabby was cleaned quickly and meticulously. There was no way he was going to mess up his first diaper change. Once her bottom was as clean as he could get it, he snuck the fresh diaper under her and wrapped it around tight, placing the new tapes in place. He smiled at his work, feeling proud of this new milestone in their relationship.

There wasn’t much time to admire his work, though, because the next thing he knew he was pulled onto the bed and given the snuggle of a lifetime. “H-Hey, I thought you were sleepy!”

“I am,” Gabby replied, eyes still closed and tongue stuck out. “But I need something to snuggle before I go to bed. Now shush, teddy bears don’t talk.”

“Too bad I’m your orca-daddy.” Giving her nose a little lick, High Tide squeezed Gabby tight and pulled the covers up over them. Giggles and blushes were shared as their padding pressed together. “Not gonna lie, this feels weird. Nice, but weird.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you,” Gabby replied before resting her head against his chest. “So long as you take good care of me.”

“I couldn’t give you anything other than my best. Although you know I didn’t get to eat, right?”

Gabby groaned. “Daddy, you’re supposed to eat supper before bed.”

“Sorry, guess you’ll have to give me a time out tomorrow.” High Tide reached over and grabbed the plate, holding Gabby tight with one leg while using the other to munch kelp. “Just sleep and I’ll put your cooking to good use.”

“Good.. no time... out...” With one last hum, Gabby began to softly snore.

As High Tide chewed on his dinner, he found it amusing that he was surprised Gabby could cook. She had to cook since she lived on her own, but the idea of his foal doing any grown up things brought a smile to his face, both in pride and in how silly the image was to him.

For a time after he had finished his meal and set his plate aside, High Tide stared up at the ceiling and found himself in a strange state of being. Sharing a bed with a mare in a diaper while he himself was in a diaper and making no attempts to get it off. This situation was bizarre and strange, something that couldn’t be easily explained. Never in a million years would he have pegged that this would be where he wound up when he met this funny mare. But he’d wasted enough time having over complicated thoughts about silly things. Why makes things hard when it wasn’t any more difficult than he loved Gabby and wanted to be her Daddy?

With that thought resonating in his head, he shut his eyes to dream that his bed was at the bottom of the ocean.

The weeks following High Tide’s and Gabby’s first slumber party were only an improvement on their already happy lives. When they woke up to find them holding each other tight, it was decided they wanted that situation to be one which happened more often. A week later, they had another sleepover. Then they had one a few days after that one. Another one two days later. Then the next day. And the next day.

Pretty soon the sleepovers stopped being sleepovers. For all intents and purposes, Gabby lived with High Tide in his humble little shack. The possessions she brought from her home were given a drawer and shelf all their own, though it wasn’t a whole lot. Mostly pretty shells she collected and all her diapers. High Tide helped add to her own little treasure trove with his own collection, and in exchange he was given a free pass to take her diapers in case he needed a change. By no means was he regularly using them, but Gabby liked to be the mommy once in a while. Truth be told, he liked being her foal sometimes.

A new routine was set for High Tide now that Gabby was a permanent part of his life. Wake up, give his pretty little orca a squeeze and compliment, make breakfast, change Gabby and get changed, head out to his job, come home and see that their castle was standing and make any needed repairs, lots of playtime with Gabby, dinner, storytime, and finally bedtime. Whether he or Gabby was in the foal position depended on their moods.

Despite this routine, every day held a surprise. Maybe he’d get the sudden urge to run to town and buy some desserts, or Gabby would bring him a trinket she’d found. Maybe she’d tackle him and pretend to be a sea monster, or he’d take a new attempt at reaffirming his position as Daddy by feeding her or dressing her in pajamas. Life was stable and felt safe, but there was just enough variety every day that it never became simple routine.

One day, a few months after Gabby moved into his home, there was a very special surprise waiting for High Tide on his bed. At first he thought it was Gabby’s, until he remembered he’d just seen Gabby in the treasure room, fully dressed. The orca suit on his bed, then, was unlikely to be hers. That meant it was probably his.

“Awww, you snuck by me!” Gabby whined from the doorway. “I wanted to bring you in here and cover your eyes and everything!”

High Tide was too busy being stunned to reply. There was a strange apprehension that suddenly flitted through his heart, a spike of nervousness. He knew this was coming. The jokes of him being a orca-daddy were to be taken seriously, as the garment he regularly wore around his haunches suggested. But to actually see it left High Tide feeling as though he was about to take another grand step. Why? It was just a costume.

“So?” she egged on as she grabbed him in a rubbery hug. “You ready to try it on? You’ll never wanna take it off when you do, trust me!”

Perhaps that was what High Tide was afraid of. To him, the suit was practically a second skin. No doubt his life would change once it was on, for Gabby would want him in it as much as possible. And he knew getting into the suit was easy, getting out was hard. Anytime he put the suit on, he’d be committed to be an orca until he could get help getting it off. Diapered, coated in rubber, and at Gabby’s whims.

“Daddy?” Gabby asked while waving a hoof in front of his face. “Are you okay?”

“H-Huh? Oh, yeah! This is great. Umm, where did you get this, anyway?” He picked the orca-suit up and flipped it over in his hooves. The blue of his suit was a shade darker than Gabby’s with an underside a starking white to contrast. The tail was thick and weighed it down, and there was clear room for the diaper he would need to wear.

Gabby picked the tail of the suit up and let it flop to the ground. “A special present from my Daddy. Well, my Daddy that’s not you.” Giggling, she took the suir from him and hung it over the bed’s headboard, tossing the rubber socks over it as well. “I never told you he made my orca-suit, huh? He’s great at making stuff like this for ponies.” Furrowing her brow and tapping her chin, Gabby added, “Though those ponies never seemed as happy to get their suits. You’d think they’d be happy to get such a great present!”

High Tide took a deep breath and shivered, gulping down his brief bout of fear and smiling. “I can’t imagine turning down a gift as great as this.” A kiss was placed on her cheek. “Especially from my pretty little orca.”

“My handsome Daddy is sure to look doubly handsome when he’s all dressed up,” she teased, patting the bed. “Come on, I wanna go swimming with you! You’re gonna love swimming as an orca!”

“I’m sure I will,” High Tide replied as he stole another glance at his suit, then glanced at Gabby. Of course he would do this. Orca-Daddy, that’s what he would be. No doubt this was going to be a lifestyle change in some way. Images of his friends seeing he in this outfit and the endless teasing that would follow flashed through his head. Maybe it would lead to that, or maybe Gabby would let him wander town without the costume. If she was happy, he was happy, and that’s what mattered most.

Climbing onto the bed, High Tide spread his legs for the inevitable diaper Gabby pulled from the drawer. No matter how many times he went through it, the process of being diapered wasn’t something he could get used to. The cool cream sent his body into a fit of shivers, while the cloud of foal powder pulled his mind into a time long forgotten. Then the diaper itself was tucked under his bottom and then things really felt odd. Wearing a diaper was easy enough to get used to, but the time spent putting it on felt awkward, as there was now a fluffy foreign material touching his bottom. The legging would gently hug the inside of his thighs, the fluffy inner-diaper touched a lot more of him than it had a moment ago, and finally the tapes were stuck in place so that the whole garment hugged him tight. By no means did he dislike any of it. It just always felt odd.

Giving his diaper a generous pat, creating a mini-cloud of foal powder in the process, Gabby giggled at her foal-dressed father figure. “Is my Daddy happy to be in a diapee?”

“You just love when you get to be the mommy, don’t you?” High Tide stuck his tongue out and sat up, wiggling into his diaper.

“Of course I do!” she said, giving his nose a boop. “The best Daddy ever needs the best Mommy ever, right?”

“And what makes you think you’re the best Mommy ever? I mean, you are, but where do you get off?” They shared a laugh as Gabby picked his suit up and stretched the neck, grunting. “Oooh, this isn’t as stretchy as mine.”

“I’ll probably need to wear it out some,” High Tide thought aloud as he thought of how much of a pain it was going to be to get undressed. “Which means I’d better get in it sooner rather than later.” Wedging his legs into the suit was hard enough, as the diaper spread his legs while the suit squeezed them together as Gabby pulled it over his limbs, but the diaper proved to be a real challenge. The thick garment didn’t want to compress into the confining space, shifting and squeezing his diaper and pressing his loins quite tight. He hoped the heat on his face wasn’t too visible.

“Hnng, come on!” Gabby grunted as High Tide braced his hooves against the bed. With a pop and a squeak!, the suit engulfed his diaper and reached over his stomach. “Phew! This is harder than I thought.”

“Mmph!” he grunted as his gut was squeezed. Much like the process of being put in a diaper, the fluffy inside of the suit was jarring to suddenly start feeling, especially with the pressure the rubber trying to snap into a smaller shape. Also like being put in a diaper, this didn’t feel bad at all.

“Just a bit more, Daddy.” With much struggling and shimmying, High Tide’s tail was shoved wholly into the suit and positioned to slip into mock-tail awaiting. Grunts came from both parties as the suit slipped farther along his body until he could slip his hind legs through the intended holes to seal around his thighs. Shoving his forelegs into the neck hole proved to be the hardest challenge of all, as the suit tried to shift his limbs every time it inched up his body. Finally, after what seemed like hours of work, his hooves touch the insides of the suit’s sleeves and the final seal around the neck could freely close.

Both ponies collapsed when the job was done, Gabby flopping onto High Tide’s stomach as she wiped the sweat from her brow. “Wow, I don’t remember it being that hard to get on the first time. You okay, Daddy?”

High Tide blinked once, then twice as he absorbed the sensation of his new garb. Every attempt to move his body in the slightest was accompanied with a creak and a pushing feeling. Wearing the orca-suit really did feel like a second skin, the material clinging to his body in the most potent hug he’d been subjected to. Everywhere the suit squeezed, from his diaper underneath to his wriggling hooves, was as though he were becoming one with the outfit.

“This feels... good.” Just to be sure, he shifted around in place for more squeaky pleasure. Oh yeah, that definitely felt good. “Ooohhh... I think I might like this.”

“Great!” Gabby cheered as she grabbed one of the suit’s matching socks. “Lift your hoovsie woovsie~”

Doing as he was told was rewarding with his hind leg getting a rubber coating as well. Down his leg the sock crawled by Gabby’s will until it wouldn’t reach any farther. The transformation into Orca-Daddy was completed with the other legging, leaving only the little bit of his cutie mark not hidden by his padding and his head the only parts of his body not coated in rubber.

Drunk on these new feelings, High Tide began to act rather foalish. Twisting and turning, writhing and wriggling, he turned every which way possible just to feel the suit hug him. A giddy smile snuck onto his lips while he wasn’t paying attention. “O-Oooh, wow, this feels... oooh...”

Gabby broke out into giggles as she watched her Daddy move about like a newborn foal. “You look like a newborn, silly.”

“I kinda am one.” He rolled onto his new underbelly and wagged his heavy tail, the weight shifting his body left and right. “I’m a newborn orca-daddy. Mmm...”

“If you like that so much, just wait until we try swimming!” Their legs looped together for Gabby to pull High Tide off the bed.

“Whoa, hey! Slow down, this foal still doesn't know how to walk!” It might as well have been true for all the stumbling he wound up doing as he was dragged along by an excited Gabby. Through his house and out the door, leaving a groove in the sand as he was pulled across the beach, the two found themselves at the edge of the ocean with High Tide no worse for the wear aside from the world spinning.

Gabby bounced around High Tide, burst of squeals breaking out as she cheered, “I can’t wait I can’t wait! Come on, let’s go!”

“Okay, okay! The ocean isn’t going anywhere!” High Tide laughed as he wobbled into a standing position. “This this hugs so tight, it’s kinda hard to move. Alright...” Taking a deep breath, High Tide gulped as he looked out at the vast expanse of water beckoning to him. “Huh... strange.”

The prancing pony came to a stop, though he smile refused to leave. “What is it, Daddy?” she asked as she move to stand next to him.

“Has the ocean always looked so nice?” The waves splashed onto the beach, touching his rubbery hoof. Where once he would have felt the cold chill of the water there was instead warmth. “It looks really pretty today.”

The grin Gabby wore became knowing as she pressed their cheeks together for one of her patented super-nuzzles. “That’s how it always looks to me. It’s nice, huh? Don’t you just wanna dive in and never come out?”

High Tide absentmindedly nodded, chuckling as he took her hoof. “Funny how a rubber-orca-suit can do that to a pony. I’m kinda scared, though. Moving in this suit isn’t exactly easy.” Their eyes locked as he looked for some reassurance. The sincerity in her eyes did not disappoint.

“Daddy, do you trust me?”

“More than anypony.” Placing a kiss on her forehead, he pulled his into a hug. “I know it’ll be okay. It’s just nice to hear my pretty little orca remind me when I get especially silly.”

“You’re always silly! But I’m pretty silly too.” Sticking her tongue out, Gabby pulled away and galloped into the water. “I’ll race ya!”

“You’re on!” High Tide ran after her, letting the water lap and slap his smooth false-skin until he was able to paddle against the wake. The weak doggie paddle he managed got a few laughs out of Gabby.

“Daddy, what are you doing?” Gabby teased.

With a grimace he stuttered, “S-Swimming!”

Gabby giggled and dove under the water, splashing some salt water High Tide’s way with her tail. Before High Tide knew what was happening, Gabby was shoving him headfirst by the seat of his diaper. Further and further from the beach at speeds High Tide wasn’t used to, he couldn’t help but yelp and shut his eyes tight.

Once Gabby was satisfied with the distance, she broke out of the water for some air and nosed the back of his neck. “Open your eyes, silly.”

“Okay, okay, I can do this.” Wading the water, High Tide shivered and turned to Gabby. “I’m okay, we’re okay. Everything is okay.”

“Okay!” Gabby poked his chest and said, “Remember, you’re an orca now. Swim like an orca.”

“Swim like an orca... okay. Okay.” Gulping down a breath, he shifted about his his body, trying to visualize the way Gabby moved in the water. The sea would slide across his body as he glided through the water. His legs would be flippers, his tail would propel him. Into the ocean he dove, imitating his foal as best as he could.

“Go Daddy!” Gabby cried as she watched his tail go under, following after.

Deeper and deeper he went, gulping down the anxiety as he practiced the movements. Convulses coursed through him, but this wasn’t hard. If anything, it felt like second nature. Faster and faster he went, his body tingling where the suit touched him. The sensation worked its way into every part of his being until this new method of movement was second nature. Gabby zipped past him, High Tide blowing some bubbles in surprise as she turned and winked his way. She pointed to the surface and shot up like a rocket.

High Tide smiled and followed her lead, pushing himself as hard as he could, up towards the sky until he leapt out of the water and into the air. The time he was out of the water was brief, but it felt amazing. Like an arrow through the sky he soared until gravity pulled him back down.

Back under and with a fresh breath, High Tide kicked his hooves in excitement. Gabby swam little circles around him before grabbing him in a hug, entwining their tails and floating in place while nuzzling each other. When the need to breath arose they untangled and made their way back to the surface, leaping out and back in together.

From there, they simply played. Neither paid attention to how long it lasted. Time stopped being important as the simple act of swimming and playing became all that matter. It was simple and sweet, indescribable in pony words.

Eventually High Tide wanted to talk and broke the surface without jumping out, Gabby following his example. “Wowzers! I’ve never felt so... I don’t know the word to use.”

“Then use a bunch, remember?” Gabby teased, flicking his nose. “You’re a natural, Daddy! Are you sure you weren’t already part orca?”

High Tide stuck his tongue out and poked Gabby’s stomach. “Come on, tell me what magic your other daddy used to make this. There’s no way this is just hydrodynamic stuff going on. I’m moving almost as fast as you and it’s so natural, I feel like I’m one with the ocean.”

Gabby was floating on her back, her white underside reflecting the sun, as she tapped her chin. “I dunno. He’s always been good at making stuff like this. Hey! Why don’t we go ask him?”

“Ask?” he parroted, Gabby performing a flip to face him. “How can we go ask him?”

“We swim, silly!” Gabby grabbed High Tide’s hoof and began to lead them farther out so see. “It’s just a quick swim to his home, let’s go! I know he’ll love to meet you!”

High Tide looked back at the shore, a sinking feeling in his stomach dipping all the way down to his diaper. The little house he called home became harder to see as Gabby led him along. “H-Hey, hold on! Where are we going?”

“Daddy’s home!” Gabby replied.

“But we’re going out farther from the beach.” High Tide gulped, but kept an even pace with Gabby. “Wh-where exactly does your Daddy live?”

“It’s just a swim away, come on! You’ll get to hear Mommy sing and maybe Daddy can get us our own castle. Remember, you were gonna build me a nursery?”

“Of course I do, but...”

“But what?”

With one last look at his home, High Tide turned to see Gabby’s innocent smile. Any trepidation he felt vanished at the sight. “Nothing. Let’s go visit your parents.”

Gabby grinned as High Tide stopped resisting, the two of them gliding through the water hoof-in-hoof. “Alright, hold your breath for as long as you can.”

“Why?”

“So we can get to Daddy’s house.” She said nothing more and puffed her chest with as much air as she could hold. High Tide had only a second to do the same before they went under.

The moon hung high in the sky as Barnacle, Cranksahft, and Beach Bum walked along the sandy shore near High Tide’s abode. The lanterns they carried seemed especially bright in the oceanside darkness, the clouds blotting out the stars. Their game had yet to start. In fact, it hadn’t started for three weeks. How could it? One of their players was missing without any explanation. Checking to see that their friend was alright was as much for them as it was for High Tide.

“Tide?” Crankshaft shouted, bangingon the door. “Tide, you in there?”

“Is it breaking in if we’re worried about him?” Beach bum tapped against a window. “Yo, Tide buddy, you need saving from sea monsters?”

Barnacle scoffed and shoved Beach Bum into the sand. “Criminy, ya Bum, not everything is monsters an’ magic. The lad’s probably sleepin’ off a cold.”

Beach Bum pulled his head out of the sand and spat a cloud of the stuff out. Meanwhile, Crankshaft frowned.

“I dunno, Barnacle, High Tide never misses a game. And if he does, he at least tells us why.” Thoughts went to a time when High Tide trotted in with a runny nose and had to be forced to get into bed. 

Knocking again proved fruitless. The lights were out and nopony was home. The lanterns they brought did little to let them see inside High Tide’s home, showing only piles of sea shells. Crankshaft sighed. “Guess we’d better head on back.”

The eldest of the three turned around with a shrug. “It’ll be alright, you’ll see. Let’s just play cards without ‘em tonight and next week he can pay for drinks.”

Crankshaft followed, seeing as there wasn’t much else they could do. Passing Beach Bum, he jabbed at their friend and said, “Come on, Beach Bum, we’ll come back in the morning to make sure he’s okay. I’m still kinda worried.”

“Dudes...” Beach Bum droned.

“Oh boy, here we go.” Barnacle rolled his eyes. “Every time somethin’ weird happens, ya blame it on ghosts or goblins or monsters that can’t exist. Yer worse than my old crew, and they were the type to throw salt over their shoulders!”

“No, dudes, look!” Beach Bum cried as he pointed to the sand. Three sets of eyes found a groove starting at Tide’s house and leading straight into the ocean.

“That... doesn’t look good,” Barnacle admitted. 

Beach Bum leapt onto his hooves, quaking. “I told you! The mare was a sea witch and he’s taken our brah to be fish food!” More ranting flowed from him, though the other two paid little attention.

“What do you think, Barnacle?” Crankshaft asked, running his hoof over the trail.

“Hmm... no signs of anypony clawin’ at the sand. So they were’t tryin’ to get away.” Puffs of smoke huffed from his pipe. “An’ it be too smooth to be a pony. A toy, mayhaps? But there ain’t a second one. What went out didn’t come back, not recently.”

“Yo, Tide!” Crankshaft shouted towards the sea. “If you’re out there, could you answer us? I’m getting kinda spooked here!”

In response, the sea splashed.

“He got sirened, brah!” Beach Bum, who’s terror was enough to make his teeth chatter, jumped onto Crankshaft’s back and held fast. “The mare was totally trying to pull him into the sea and now he’s gone forever!”

“Shh!” The larger pony perked his ear towards the water.

“Yeah, quiet down, ya big baby. Screamin’ like a banshee ain’t gonna—”

“Shh!” Crankshaft hushed again. “Do you hear that?”

“The sound of seaponies coming to eat our kids?” Beach Bum whined.

Crankshaft began to run towards the sea. “I hear splashes.”

“Dude, don’t take us closer!”

“Hey, wait fer me!” The three raced to the edge of the water, the other now noticing the sound Crankshaft was referring to. Rhythmic splashes, the sound of something coming in and out of the water. And it was getting closer.

Standing their ground, the friends hunkered close together in waiting of whatever creature would crawl out to greet them. Louder and louder the splashes became, and soon the light from their lanterns glinted off of some slick, shiny beings. They watched as their jumping turned into a proper swim, only their heads visible, if indistinguishable from anything. Then the creatures were close enough to step out of the water, and the trio’s collective jaws dropped at the sight of their dear friend dressed like an orca, holding hooves with a gorgeous mare.

“Oh, hi guys!” High Tide called, running up to his pals to give each one a wet hug.

For a while they were stunned, unsure how to take in what they were seeing. High Tide nearly looked part fish, his tail swishing as lifelike as a true sea creature’s. The mare’s eyes sparkled as she looked them over.

“Are these those friends you were telling me about, Daddy?” she asked.

“Sure are. Gabby, meet Barnacle, Beach Bum, and Crankshaft. Guys, meet Gabby.”

“Hello!” Gabby said with a wave.

“Uhh... Tide?” Crankshaft at last spoke. “What are you... wearing?”

“Huh?” High Tide spun in circles a few times, examining himself all over. This gave his thick bottom an easy view for his friends to see. “Don’t tell me another sucker fish latched onto me on the trip back here. I tell you, those things are a pain in the flank to get off.”

The tension broke as Beach Bum broke into a laughing fit, rolling around in the wet sand. “D-Dude! Are you wearing a d-diaper under that?”

“Oh yeah.” The spinning came to a stop, High Tide’s cheeks burning some. “You kinda forget about that after a while.”

Barnacle was still speechless, even as Gabby batted at his beard. “You’ve got a beard just like my other Daddy!”

Rubbing the back of his head, Crankshaft said, “This, uhh, isn’t exactly what I expected to find after you being gone for three weeks.”

High Tide grimaced. “Whoa, was it really that long? Cripes, I totally lost track of time at Gabby’s dad’s house. You must have been worried sick...” A grin broke out on his face. “Well, at least you know I’m okay now.”

“I... uhh...” Barnacle stated before turning to Gabby. One look at her smile immediately quelled his raging thoughts, if only a little. “Well, aren’t you a pretty pearl.”

“Eeeeeee!” Gabby squealed, rushing to High Tide’s side. “He called me pretty!”

“Of course he did, because you are pretty! Now, what do you say?”

“Oh, right!” She cleared her throat and poked Barnacle’s nose. “And you’re very handsome, Mister Barnacle.”

“Well shucks, thank ye,” Barnacle said with a chuckle.

“So...” Crankshaft began. “Where exactly were you?”

Beach Bum snuck around to High Tide’s backside and gave his generous padding a poke. “Did you lose a bet?” A dorsal fin to the face was his reward. “Hey, watch it!”

With a huff, High Tide smirked and shrugged. “Sorry guys, seriously. I was spending quality time with my new family.” He turned to pull Gabby into a hug and kiss her cheek. “Gabby has the nicest mom and dad.”

“Mom and dads,” Gabby corrected.

High Tide nuzzled Gabby’s cheek with his own, using extra force for extra snuggles. “How silly of me to forget. Gabby loves to remind me of how I’m the best Daddy ever.”

“Just like my other Daddy!” she cheered.

“He’s pretty cool too,” High Tide teased. “The guy’s even helping me get some new real estate. It’s about time I move out of my dinky little shack.” Giving Gabby another squeeze, he added, “Especially since I’m a daddy now.”

“Right...” Crankshaft trailed off. “Did you, uh, have fun?”

High Tide beamed as he jumped in place. “Oh, you have no idea! First we played hide and seek in the giant kelp forest, then he rode on the backs of real orcas! We even got to pet sharks! Let me tell you, they aren’t anywhere near as scary as anypony thinks they are. You just gotta show them who’s boss.”

Gabby broke into a fit of giggles. “And that’s why your diaper was absolutely soaked after you saw one.”

Cheeks burning bright, High Tide defended his honor with, “That’s what they’re for, aren’t they?”

Beach Bum snickered again, ducking under another tail swipe. “Aww, looks like my brah really is my little brah.” The next slap didn’t miss.

“Well, yer safe,” Barnacle said, chewing his pipe. “An’ it sounds like ye had a grand old time.”

Gabby nodded before yawning, leaning against High Tide’s shoulder. “We had lots of fun. Mommy made cookies and... mmm, sang us lullabies.”

“Speaking of lullabies...” High Tide kissed the top of her head. “It’s beddy bye time for little foals. Hope you guys don’t mind, but it is kinda late.”

“O-Okay,” Crankshaft said, stepping out of the odd couple’s way and letting them pass, following after them with Beach Bum and Barnacle following. “What kind of real estate are we talking here?”

High Tide and Gabby walked with their hooves locked together and their tails tangled. “Oh, just a sand castle.” The padded ponies shared a chortle as they vanished into the tiny home.